The Path We Choose
by TigreMalabarista
Summary: Everyone makes choices, and those choices affect not just oneself but others. This time, the decision could have severe consequences not just for Aidan Hinkley, but all those she loves. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

It was a blustery day at Whitney High, but for some - the bluster wasn't the cool fall weather.

The screech of tires coming to a sudden stop followed by slamming of a car door, and not so quiet curses broke through the crisp morning air of Whitney High School as a young woman wearing a pair of patchwork denim jeans, a plum colored polo shirt, maroon sneakers and a domino pendant rushed through the open air corridors filled with students rushing to class before the second bell pronounced them late.

"Damn…" the women breathed through clenched teeth as said bell made itself known. "For whom the bell tolls," Aidan sighed as she turned the corner toward the auditorium consigning herself to being late and adding it to the long list of mishaps and failures that plagued her since her alarm went off that morning … or in this case her alarm that failed to do the job assigned to it.

As she hurried, keeping a firm hold on her papers and other items for her presentation, Aidan cursed every single thing that had gone wrong. First, after having a long day - and part of the night - of working a case with Tony, she overslept, and had to dash to get ready. As she changed, she kept thinking she was forgetting something important, as though the day had some meaning other than going to the school. Aidan tried as hard as she could, but she couldn't remember, and decided to let it drop and instead focused on her presentation.

She rushed out the door and was halfway across the apartment complex when she realized she forgot her presentation items. Then when she got to the car, she jerked the door handle so hard that it broke off in her hand.

Fortunately, she was able to get in through the other side, and headed to the school. She arrived there with no problems… only to find the nearest staff parking space was the farthest one from the school.

Mentally checking off her list of morning mishaps as the young women arrived at the auditorium. Aidan paused just for a moment outside the door to pull her-self together and adjusted the items in her arms before entering what she now considered the lions den.

She took a deep breath then reached for the handle, but froze, her hand still over the handle. She had remembered what she had forgotten - and it was like being hit by a ton of bricks as the emotions of the memory cascaded and broke over her. With a silent sob Aidan let her hand fall to her side and she leaned her forehead against the cool metal door as the memory of what she had forgotten came flooding back into her mind.

How could she have forgotten something so important? Had her life gotten so hectic and out of whack that she had completely forgotten what today was? A day that she had never missed in nearly 20 years not since…

_How could I have forgotten?_

Her heart started to ache and Aidan wanted to mourn, but knew she couldn't - not now, not when her students needed her, and lifted her head from the door pushing her emotions into the small box deep in her soul saving the grief for later.

She ran a hand through her hair and checked her reflection in the shinning surface of a nearby vending machine smirking some at how the slightly distorted image seemed to be a more accurate reflection of her life than what a perfect mirror would show her.

Shaking her head slightly at the image and smiled a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes Aidan declared herself presentable and took a step back to the door - only to have it open right into her. The young woman landed on her bottom, dropping her items.

As she gathered her presentation, she heard a gruff voice. "Ah, Miss Hinkley, I'm glad you finally arrived," said Superintendent Knight.

Damn it to hell could it get any worse? she thought, rolling her eyes and mentally shaking her fist at whatever cosmic being seemed to have it out for her today. "Hello Mr. Knight." Aidan greeted, hoping the annoyance she felt did not show in her voice as she finished gathering her stuff, then stood giving the superintendent a half grin.

The former Whitney principal and current county superintendent brushed off the greeting. "Mr. Hinkley was surprised himself that you would be late to your presentation," he said simply. Before Aidan could apologize, he continued. "I hope you're ready to give it."

The young woman could only nod, and edged her way around the opposing figure and entered the room. Once she was on stage and her presentation set up, Aidan turned and faced the panel that would decide if they would buy her the equipment she wanted. In addition to the panel, her godfather and the principal, Ralph Hinkley, sat off to the side. Because the two were related, Ralph was not allowed to vote in the decision, but he could give input if need be.

Noticing Ralph's disappointed expression, especially that his goddaughter was late to her presentation, Aidan gave a slightly nervous gulp. "Yep… it could get a lot worse," she thought, and began her presentation.


	2. Chapter 2

Aidan made her way out of the auditorium pushing harder on the door than she wanted making it crash in to the wall. Behind her she heard someone running after her. She didn't stop to see who it was, she really didn't care, the day was ruined and it was only 10:30. Aidan ran a hand through her hair and adjusted her grip on the books she was carrying.

"Aidan wait," her godfather's voice broke through her thoughts as she continued walking ignoring him. She knew he was mad at her for being late, she could hear it in his voice and the look on his face while she stumbled through the presentation stated clearly how he felt. Aidan shook her head, she just was not in the mood to hear it from him right now.

_"Aidan Micah Hinkley…"_

The full use of her name bought her to a dead stop, but she didn't turn around. Instead, she just continued to stare ahead until Ralph came up and stood in front of her. He didn't wait for her to speak. "Aidan what has gotten into you..."

Aidan closed her eyes briefly and sighed, walking past the man. "I don't want to talk about it…"

"Yes you will talk about it," Ralph said, catching up with her, placing a hand on her shoulder and bringing her to a stop. He then looked into her eyes, narrowing his slightly in concern. "Now tell me what's wrong, and don't say it's nothing. I might not have the suit anymore but I can still tell when something is bothering you."

"I said I don't want to talk about it, not right now," She looked around the quad area. "Not here," she finished quietly and tried to leave again but Ralph stopped her much to her frustration.

"C'mon, what's wrong? I mean, I understand you're upset about this presentation not going as well as it should've, but if you weren't …"

"Upset…Upset…I am past upset Ralph," Aidan growled, interrupting the man standing in front of her blocking her path. "No I was upset this morning when my alarm didn't go off, I was upset when there was no hot water, I was upset when my car decided I needed to brush up on my contortionist act, I was upset when I forgot…."

She stopped before she could finish that train of thought. It was something she didn't want to think or talk about not right then. Aidan sighed clearing her mind, bringing herself back into control then continued. "And as far as that panel of wolves in there," the young woman waved her hand in the general direction of the auditorium, "I'd probably have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting that fused glass kiln for my classes to make their own diachroic glass instead of using mine in their jewelry," she finished stepping around Ralph and heading to her class room.

"Well, it didn't help you were late," Ralph called after her. "And Mr. Knight was upset with me too because I couldn't very well explain that you were…"

"I know, and I apologized for being late. But, I don't want to talk about it anymore, I can't change it," she said over her shoulder trying her best to avoid the conversation.

Ralph, realizing Aidan was just being stubborn again, followed her through to the building where her classroom was, entering inside a few moments after she did. Aidan walked into her class throwing the material she was carrying on the desk, not caring where they landed as she prepped her room for the next class.

"Aidan I was talking to you…"

She paused in prep work, irritated that her godfather just wouldn't let it go. "And I said I didn't want to talk about it," she stated directly and turned to face the man only to feel dizzy. Feeling the world dim slightly, she caught herself on a chair, and bowed her head briefly, shaking it.

Seeing the action, Ralph quickly crossed the room, grabbing onto her arm and keeping her steady. Once the feeling passed, Aidan pulled her arm from his grasp and turned away from the concerned look on his face. She didn't want to see as it reminded her too much of her biological Dad - and the fact he was not there.

Ralph frowned at her reaction and pallor, still worried. It was not the first time in the past month Aidan had a dizzy spell at the school, and they had started to become more frequent.

He had started wondering if Tony was taking her out on too many late night suit scenarios, and it was affecting her sleep and health. This was especially true when he had at least four or five inquiries daily by students or teachers at the school if Aidan was doing OK.

Ralph sighed as the woman rubbed her face with her hand, realizing he may be right about Tony. "Aidan I think you should sit down," he said gently, staying close by just in case she did go out.

Aidan walked away, hiding the tears that were threatening to come. "I don't need to sit down. I'm fine Ralph... it's just been a rough day and it's not even lunch yet," She tried to chuckle some to hide how she was really feeling. "You know just one of those days when nothing goes right."

Ralph nodded and leaned on one of the workbenches. Aidan sighed and leaned on a nearby workbench placing her hand on the desk next to her. "And I was in such a rush this morning I forgot to eat. But I am fine…"

"Sweetheart…"he said, still skeptical.

She looked over at Ralph. "I promise. I have a few minutes before the next class and I have some snacks stashed in my desk just for these occasions." Aidan smiled and Ralph smiled solemnly. He saw right through his goddaughter and was willing to wait Aidan out until she was ready to talk.

The young woman continued, changing the subject. "Are you still planning to go to that conference this weekend?"

Ralph grimaced as if reminded of something. "Oh I forgot, with the presentation this morning and the two of us being busy getting prepared for it …"

"You forgot what?"

"To tell you that Superindent Knight has asked - well told me - that I will also be speaking at a conference _next_ weekend...which means…"

"That we are going to have to move our plans around," Aidan cut in, saying it with a little more disgust than she wanted to.

The sharpness of Aidan's tone took Ralph back… and cut him to the quick. "I'm sorry Aidan..."

Aidan shook her head. This was something she didn't need to hear, but she didn't feel like explaining that to Ralph. "No that's OK... I understand... something came up that was more important."

Before her godfather could say anything, she then just let the words come out before she even knew what she was saying. "And I get sidelined... oh what the hell I have only been looking forward to this camping trip for three months now... what is another three to add on to it..."

Ralph frowned "Aidan you know that if I could get out of this I would." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "And that I wouldn't go if this conference wasn't important..."

Aidan shook them off. "But we have been planning this trip for awhile and every time in the last year something has always postponed it... if it wasn't that stupid suit it was something you had to do."

Her godfather shook his head, perplexed as to her reaction. "Listen, I know you're disappointed, but …"

"This time Tony actually was going to let me have the whole weekend off, free from scenarios save something catastrophic," she said. "And now… I guess I can call and say I'm available."

Ralph frowned. "That's not fair. It's just one week this time, I promise."

"Promises… Ralph you can't promise anything, it's a useless and hollow gesture you know that as much as I do - especially now that I have the suit. You of all people know how much it makes promises null and void. I can't make a promise for the next day, let alone the next week Godpop." she finished crossing her arms and staring blankly at some spot on the floor.

Ralph sighed running a hand through his hair. He did know what Aidan was talking about; because he had worn the suit, had been in her shoes. He had lost count of the broken promises and excuses he had to give to friends and family over the years because of the suit and knew how frustrating it could be.

After a few seconds the silence that fallen between them broke when Aidan stood and walked to the front of the room. The man winced when saw how unsteady she was on her feet and was convinced she was not going to make it to lunch without having a fainting spell at the rate she was going. She hadn't had that snack yet, and there was five minutes left before class started.

Deciding he'd have to be a principal in this situation rather than her godfather Ralph spoke up. "Aidan, you're not well... you're stressed out and not eating. I want you to go home."

"Ralph…" she said, stunned he'd even threaten it.

"I mean it. It's obvious you're nearly exhausted," he said, then stepped forward. "Ade, you're creating a potential safety issue here. You've nearly passed out twice here just talking with me. What if you do that today with a lit torch in your hands?…"

"We can't cast anything right now. No one has a completed project, so that's a moot point," she said, trying to make the man see reason. "Ralph, you know as well as I do I can't miss too many days without real reason or Knight will fire me. And, I'm not past the minimum hours for the day to count."

Ralph opened his mouth to argue, then stopped, thinking. She had a point, as she had missed several days already because of scenarios or injuries caused by the suit. "You're right... Fine, you can stay, but you better eat and rest where you can today. However, if I get a visit from anyone - and I mean _anyone_ saying that you've fainted, you're going to be going home to _our_ place for three days. Clear?"

"Yeah," she said, sitting down at her workbench and getting out a package of beef jerky. "Got it Dad…"

Ralph, who had started out the door, paused at the comment curious and worried. Aidan never called him dad, in fact, he and Pam asked her when she was nine to not call them mom and dad. Though they loved her dearly, they didn't want to usurp her parents' honor. He was about to ask when Aidan's cell phone rang, and made a mental note to ask later as she pulled the item out of her purse.

Looking at the number, the young woman groaned and answered. "Yes Tony," she sighed, leaning back in her chair rubbing a hand across her forehead trying to block out a headache as her partner tried to explain a scenario he needed her help on. Aidan took a bite of her jerky and looked over at her godfather, who gave her a stern look.

"Listen I can't just drop everything right now," Aidan paused as Tony interrupted. "NO Tony," She cut in, then sighed. "Fine, I will meet you there OK... after school….look _Anthony_, if the people have been there for a week, I doubt they are going anywhere OK." Aidan reached for a pen as Tony started giving her the place to meet. "Big Bear Lake...got it."

Aidan hung up the cell and looked up to see Ralph now sitting on the end of her desk. She leaned forward on her hands, before pushing them through her hair and leaning back into her chair.

Ralph looked at her worried - especially as it confirmed his suspicions on Tony using her and the suit too much. He had noticed over the last week his goddaughter seemed distracted on top of everything and didn't like the fact Tony was calling her to run another scenario.

The man could tell she needed a break, and he knew all too well the curse of the suit. Ralph knew from experience that it seemed if the person didn't keep a balance between life and suit scenarios it would burn him or her out literally.

"Why didn't you tell him you couldn't go Aidan?" he asked simply.

Aidan opened her eyes. "Because he needs me."

"Aidan you need your rest too. The last few months have been hard on you, let alone today ..."

"I know that, would you please stop it Ralph?" she said a little more tersely than she thought.

Ralph sighed, knowing he wasn't going to convince her of anything when she was like this and he backed off. "OK Aidan… all I am saying and this is just from my own experience, there has to be a balance between the suit and everyday life. If all you do is scenarios, it will take over."

_It already has_, Aidan thought to herself. "I know…" she said, but the class bell ringing cut off what she was going to say next and both looked up at the bell. "Duty calls," Aidan sighed and Ralph chuckled then grew serious again. "Aidan, whenever you are ready to talk my door is always open OK?"

Aidan nodded as the first of her students filed into the room and Ralph nodded back then turned to leave. He paused briefly to look at his goddaughter and frowned, wishing she would say what was wrong.

"Ade, what is bothering you so much that you're not taking care of yourself again," he thought to himself before heading back to the main building, lost in his thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

"Aidan put down that crowbar," snapped Tony reaching for the object that his partner held. Aidan simply took a step back keeping the crowbar out of his reach as she turned around and walked away.

"Why?" she said, grumbling as she tugged on the collar of the suit. The two had just finished capturing an infamous drug ring, but it was anything but joyful.

The agent glared at Aidan following her. "Because you've caused enough trouble already. I don't wanna haveta tell Cyler why I have to take the creep to the metalshop ta cut off solid metal cuffs."

Aidan spun around to face Tony "Wouldn't be the first time, but that's your fault." She finished crossing her arms and smirking at the agent.

"_My fault_?" Tony huffed, Aidan's stance reminded him of his 5-year-old when she didn't get her way. "How is it my fault? Aidan c'mon think about it: I don't have the suit, so it's kinda hard for me to explain off solid metal handcuffs when everyone knows I can't bend steel with my bare hands," he said, trying to keep from yelling despite her acting like spoiled child. "'Sides, that's not the only trouble you've caused me…"

Aidan rolled her eyes and turned back around continuing towards the car with Tony close behind "I haven't caused you trouble." She yelled over her shoulder "You'll get all the honor and glory" she then stopped at the car, looked at Tony over the hood of the car, and mocked. "And if you're lucky you may get a nice pat on the back for a job well done. In the mean time I get to go back to school and receive a possible reprimand from Ralph or Knight and continue being just lowly teacher like I…"

Tony hit the top of the car, one to get her attention and stop her rant and two because he had gone past his boiling point with her attitude lately not only her actions tonight but over the last couple of months. "No," He roared at her. "I'm gonna be in trouble even with Cyler knowin' about the suit 'cause ya decided to punch one of the creep's lights out for no reason."

"No reason?" Aidan fumed waving the crowbar she still held. "He aimed a gun at you."

"Which I found out was empty, but no, you had to go and hit him after ya grabbed him even when he said he gave up," said Tony as he went over and picked up one of the unconscious men, dragging the man to the car. "Now, when he comes to, he'll say that his rights were violated and he'll probably get off with a slap on the wrist… or nothin' at all."

Aidan glared at Tony. "That's if he remembers. Tony, ya know as well as I do these guys say 'Oh, some dame in red hit us,' and they usually get put in the looney bin," she said.

The agent closed the door after placing his captive in the car and spun around. "Yeah, but do ya see that creep over there," he said, pointing. When Aidan nodded, he continued. "Well, he was awake when ya did it, so he can be a witness. Since we told him that only I caught him, all he hasta do is say I did it and the other guy gets off, if not both of them. You really screwed up this time Ade," he shook his head and walked over to the other dealer.

"Don't you think that the smell of marijuana will get him anyway?" said Aidan, rolling her eyes again leaning against the car. "I mean he has enough grass on him to…"

"Cub I know ya ain't that dumb… it's legal here for medicinal use and you know it," he said, bringing the other prisoner over to the car. "And he can cite it as such, can probably produce a prescription on top of it and then we don't have proof to the contrary."

"I ain't dumb Villacana… but there's _more than 2 ounces_ on the creep," she nearly roared, standing up from the car and rounding it so she stood next to Tony.

Tony, seeing a faint flicker of fury in Aidan's eyes that he had seen only one other time, paused and took a step back. While he had seen her furious, she rarely had ever turned it on him. Deciding to not retort about her comment, he then looked at the woman closer, and could tell she was upset with something and it wasn't the case at hand.

"What's wrong with ya anyway?" He asked calming his voice as he then placed the second prisoner in the car. Despite his frustration over Aidan's attitude lately he was still concerned for her well-being. "Why are you so bananas lately?"

The woman sidestepped the man to walk over to her car. "Why? Because I'm sick of it Tony," she said tossing the crowbar in to the woods.

"Sick of what?" Tony asked confused as he followed her to her car.

"Doing this stuff," She waved her hand around in the direction of the house and the men in Tony's car then placed the hand on her chest. "Because it's affecting my life. Did you know that I had a presentation today? And that during my presentation at the school, I was lucky I didn't pass out and fall off stage from exhaustion? Did you also know because of my poor presentation I may have cost myself a second kiln that would have especially helped the kids. That kiln would've allowed my students to actually fuse their diachronic glass."

The man did a double take at Aidan's comments. "You're upset about this stuff because of that?" He winced when he saw Aidan glared at him and he realized his tone sounded like he scoffed at her and quickly amended his statement "There'll be other chances Cub…"

"Yeah, chances... and every time I get one, you come in or call me saying 'Oh we need to go out and solve this case,' and I usually wind up saving your butt." She finished pulling her door open swinging it a little hard - but not off the hinges - and almost catching the agent in the chest.

Tony stopped the door from hitting him and held onto it as Aidan got in. "It's a part of our life now Aidan…"

"It wouldn't be if I didn't have this suit," she said, getting back out of the car and standing so that the door was between them. Glaring at the man, she continued, "Do you want to know something? It's not just ruining my life, it's running my life...I've been doing it for over a year now. It keeps me so focused on this stuff I forgot my Dad's b-day."

The agent looked at Aidan, confused. "Mr. H's birthday is in March…"

"I know that ... my _Dad's_ - Austin Onyxsard," she snapped, then paused as she gathered her composure so she didn't decide to grab the agent and throw him. "Every year I write a letter to my Mom and Dad on their birthdays about what's going on and how much I miss them. I then send it to heaven by burning it."

Though he was confused as to Aidan's way of coping with her parents' deaths, he decided to try to talk reason to her. "Aidan, what does that…"

The woman continued, interrupting Tony. "This year however, I did something different for Mom's and was going to for Dad's: wear the suit, fly into the sky and throw it into the stratosphere to send it that way. …"

"I don't think you're dad will mind if it's late this time Cub…," he said, putting a gentle hand on his teammate's shoulder. "Ya just were late by a day, helping me bust this guy too…"

"You just don't get." Aidan groaned, which came out sounding like a growl. "Besides that's not the point anyway Tony. If I didn't have to use this damn thing I'd have a normal life... and I wish it was that way," she said, brushing off his hand.

The man, realizing that Aidan was having a pity-party, and now convinced she was in fact acting like a 5 year old rather than the going on 29 years she was, growled slightly in hopes of snapping her out of it. He understood that she was upset and it was channeling as anger, but it was going too far. "Hey, so do I at times, And I should know better than anybody we don't always get what we want Aidan... and you know it to. But ya can't go knocking out bad guys who have already given up though because you're pissed off about it. It's your life now, I mean c'mon what are ya gonna do - give it up?"

Aidan just looked at her friend, her jaw set for a second not saying a word. Tony thought maybe for a second she was frozen somehow courtesy of the suit when she finally spoke. "Fine," she said through clenched teeth. "That's what I'll do. I don't want this life anymore so maybe I should -" she said, then started removing the suit starting with the cape and buckle. "And I'll start by getting rid of this."

Tony looked at Aidan, perplexed. "Ade... what are ya doing?" he said not turning around as he did not want to turn his back to the smoldering ember that was normally his cool and collected partner. Given the young woman's temper right now and she wasn't being modest, he decided to take his chances at a punch. He could duck a punch if she threw one - he didn't want to be blindsided.

The woman continued, not realizing Tony was watching her undress. "I'm getting the hell out of here. You can take care of the guys I punched until they wake up," she nodded her head towards Tony's car. "And then make up some sorry excuse for both to explain who the girl in red was so you can cover your butt…"

"Uh un, you aren't going to leave, not with your fire turned up …" Tony shook his head stepped around the car door and reached for her arm in an attempt to stop her.

Aidan, now in a T-shirt and jeans, just swatted his hand away. "I am... now, and with you still here - conscious or not is up to you," she said, zipping up her jeans. Seeing Tony roll his eyes, she growled. "I mean it... I have flattened a guy twice your size without the suit and without him having a glass jaw."

"You're not going to do that…" he said, frowning as he drew his hand into a fist. He knew that Aidan didn't have a glass jaw like her godfather, but he knew that with her out of the suit, he could knock her out, tie her up and take her to Ralph and Pam's house. Tony cringed at the thought, but he felt that it'd be better to hear the couple yell at him for hurting her than her driving off angry.

"Don't tempt me Tony…"

"Ade, I've had enough of …" he started, only to duck when Aidan swung out at him. He straightened and in turn tried to block her arm during a second thrown punch in an attempt to keep her from doing any more harm to him or herself. But the reach was off by a few inches and he ended up grazing her on the jaw hard with the side of his fist. She hit the ground, briefly dazed.

Tony, realizing his mistake, went to help Aidan up, but the woman instead jumped back up and he could tell she was slightly shocked he hit her even if it was an accident.

Seeing Aidan steady herself then clench her fists in order to throw another punch, he realized she was not going to let him stop her. He sighed as he backed up and gave her some space - for the moment.

Tony knew that the only way he'd stop her was to sucker punch her, but couldn't do that unless he caught her by surprise. "All right Aidan suit yourself... if you want to be that way fine…" he held up his hands stepping further way from the car.

"Good," Aidan said picking up the discarded suit. "And you can take care of this too, while you're helping Sleeping Beauty and Snow White there." She added tossing the suit at Tony who caught part of it one handed.

Tony shuffled the suit into one arm dropping several pieces and tried again to stop the women from leaving, knowing she shouldn't drive in the emotional state she was in. "Cub wait," he said, but Aidan ignored him and got into to the car. She cranked it up before taking off, the back end swerving some as it hit an ice patch before gaining traction. Tony jumped back avoiding the flying gravel and slush.

Watching her car disappear around the corner Tony shook his head, deciding he would follow shortly. With a sigh he started to pick up the rest of the suit then stood for a moment looking at his car then in the direction Aidan had gone with another sigh he walked towards his car.

As he passed where Aidan's car had been he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Tony knelt down and touched the substance, looking at the color. He then brought his fingers to his nose.

He instantly recognized it as brake fluid.

"Ah no," he groaned sitting back on his heels. Then looking over his shoulder at the way Aidan had just left, he frowned realizing the slick ice covered road and the spilled brake fluid added up to trouble: Especially if Aidan didn't notice the road condition because of her anger.

Tony pulled the communicator out and tried to reach Aidan only to hear his voice coming from the bundle in his arm. "Damn," he muttered and walked back to his car.

Yanking the door open, he tossed the suit into the passenger seat then got in and pulled the door shut. The car vibrated from the treatment as Tony leaned his head against the steering wheel calming his own nerves before he went after Aidan. After a few moments, he sat up and tried Aidan's cell to see if she would answer. After two rings the phone went straight to voice, indicating to Tony, she had turned her phone off.

"You're as stubborn as Mr. H," he said in frustration punching the steering wheel. "I just hope it won't get you killed this time," he finished, starting the car and driving in the same direction as Aidan.


	4. Chapter 4

Aidan drove down Hwy 18 the only route back to L.A. leaving Big Bear Lake. To her right through the trees every now and then she could see the lake peaking through the trees as the full moon reflected off the waters. Every so often, she would tap the brakes to slow her descent, not knowing that every time she did more brake fluid would leak through the slightly torn tubing.

The young woman sighed as she rubbed her sore jaw, frustrated with everything. It seemed that all she ever did was go on scenarios, work and sleep now. She had been working on a project for an upcoming juried show, but even that project was half done because of a scenario Tony put her in. "I'm going to be lucky if I finish that project by the deadline," she said.

Aidan turned the steering wheel slightly as she entered another curve, again tapping on her brake. She started thinking about her argument with Ralph earlier in the day, and what he had said. While she was lucky that she hadn't fainted as the school day progressed, she knew it also wasn't the first time in recent weeks the threat reared its head. Her students, who had decided to stop the joke of bringing her cheese and crackers for breakfast a couple of weeks prior, had started up again - apparently with no reason.

When she asked, Lauren said it best: "Miss Aidan... if you don't take care of yourself, you're going to get hurt. We don't want to find out something bad happened again ..."

"And I don't want to have you hear that either," said Aidan as she saw the sign stating Big Bear Dam was up ahead. Knowing she had to slow down, she tapped on her brake... only to find out that the brakes were not working.

"What the hell," she said, tapping on them again, but her speed only increased as she went down an incline. Aidan moved her hand up to use her communicator, but remembered that she took it off. Cursing out loud, she tried what she knew to do in this case and pressed on the brake several times quickly to get it to work... to no avail.

Aidan then tried to use the emergency brake, but realized the floorboard pad had caught itself slightly in the pivot. She bent over slightly to pull it out, and succeeded. She looked up, however, and realized she was driving toward the side of the mountain.

The young woman swerved to avoid a head on collision, and succeeded partially as the side of the car hit. Aidan was jostled around as the car ricocheted off the side of the wall, and started to fishtail on a patch of ice.

The woman had nearly gotten the car stabilized when she saw the rock guardrail. "Oh sh..." said Aidan, only to be stopped when she went through it.

The car continued and headed down the side of the hill, rolling over once before righting up again and starting to skid. As it slid down the side, small boulders, mud and snow filled debris started falling behind it and in some cases pushing the car as it made its decent down the steep incline.

The car finally came to a abrupt stop when it crashed sideways into a large boulder, most of the damage on the driver's side. The remaining boulders and snow crashed into the car on the passenger's side, partially covering the car so only the roof and back end could be seen from the road 200 feet above where the car rested.

Inside the car, Aidan lay slouched over the steering wheel, unconscious. She had a severe head injury and a deep gash to her leg, among other injuries. She was having difficulty breathing from broken ribs, one puncturing her lung, and her pulse was erratic. Unbeknownst to her, she was dying, and would if help didn't come soon...

It did, in the form of what looked like a flying neon hubcap.

The spaceship came down from the sky and beamed up their critically-wounded hero to treat her, and launched back into space. When it did... time on Earth as everyone knew it stopped.


	5. Chapter 5

The feeling that she was falling and tumbling out of control followed Aidan into the darkness, As the echo of the crash rang in her ears.

She braced for the final impact holding her breath and trying to relax her already tense body so the impact would not be as harsh. There was another jolt, but no impact. Aidan tensed up again holding her breath waiting for it to happen.

She waited for what felt like hours, and slowly relaxed realizing there was not going to be an impact. She let a breath out, feeling chilled as a shiver ran through her. _Wherever I am is cold_ she thought to herself and slowly turned her head and opened her eyes. "And dark," she whispered breaking the silence around her.

As if they were voice activated, at the sound of her voice the room started to glow as the lights turned on. The lights shone softly at first then growing allowing her eyes time to adjust.

"Where am I?" she thought to herself, and then flinched when a voice told her she was in a safe place. It was not so much that the voice startled her it was the fact she heard it inside her head rather than in the room around her.

She closed her eyes again, fear rushing through her. _I'm dead_, she thought to herself, trying to remember what happened but only getting vague images but none that made sense to her. The voice again spoke this time telling her she was not dead.

Aidan opened her eyes and slowly turned her head. The room was still dimly lit keeping her from seeing clearly where she was. "Who are you?" she asked out loud, her voice shaking with fear and confusion to where she was.

When no one answered Aidan sat up, ignoring the slight dizziness she felt. More of the memories from the accident came to her and Aidan looked down, checking for injuries. Apart from the slight vertigo she felt, she was for the most part uninjured.

As the room grew slightly brighter again, Aidan looked up confused by the lack of injuries she knew she had to have had from the accident. Looking around the now fully lit room Aidan recognized where she was. She had only been there once before, but remembered it as being the room from the day she got the suit from Ralph.

"How did I get here?" she asked as she slowly stood up from the cold metal bed, getting a slight static shock in the process, and looked around the room again. As she did so, the door opened to the main room and Aidan slowly walked into it. The door she just stepped from startled her as it slid shut, leaving her with no choice but to continue forward. The room was larger than she remembered, though she had to admit the last time she was there her focus had been on her godparents and the revelations that day brought, particularly the suit.

She continued forward looking around her as she went amazed at the sheer size of the room Aidan now found herself in. The dimly lit room had circles of light set into the floor in rows which ran the full length of the room. She followed the rows with her eyes until they ended at a wall at the far end of the room. That wall contained what looked like to her five screens all bigger than the IMAX ones she had seen at the local theater a few months back. Each of the screens projected images of space with the one in the center showing her Earth.

Drawing her eyes away from the images Aidan looked to her left and saw rows of darkened windows set in the wall, she looked up and realized the bays covered the whole wall from left to right and bottom to the top of the wall which disappeared somewhere in the darkness far above her head.

Hearing someone approaching behind her Aidan quickly turned around, only to see one of the green guys, with its small assistant floating not far behind. The tall alien held up a hand keeping Aidan from speaking, and then it directed the assistant to approach the young woman.

Aidan watched the little creature approach then hold out its small hand, She looked over at the green guy who pointed to his ear. Aidan nodded putting her hand out remembering the translator she had to use the last time she was there.

The little assistant dropped the device into her hand then went back to float behind the green guy as Aidan placed the device into her ear.

"Hello Aidan." She heard the being say as she looked up giving a nervous smile in return still unsure as to why she was here. The images of the accident came back to mind and she paled thinking perhaps she was dead despite what she heard a few minutes before. Why the green guys were there, she didn't know, but she guessed it could be her last thoughts before reaching heaven.

"I died didn't I?" she whispered her stomach sinking at the pain her family must be feeling right now. "When my car went over the cliff..."

"No, you're not dead," said the green guy gently.

"You don't understand," Aidan shook her head slightly frustrated the creature didn't understand what she was saying, even if she didn't want to admit what she felt. "I went over the side of the mountain near Big Bear Dam. That's a drop of…"

"Some distance, yes, we know Aidan," said the green guy. "But again, you are not deceased. After your car wreck, we rescued you and put you in a stasis chamber." The alien pointed to the wall she saw earlier with all the bays.

"Stasis chamber…" Aidan looked over her shoulder to where he was pointing then back. "That's where you guys put me when I was shot right?" she said, and the alien nodded. "How long was I…"

"Four hours by your time. You were as you'd say, critically injured and close to death," said the green guy as he turned away walking toward the wall with the displays.

Aidan looked at the stasis chambers and paled feeling a shudder run down her back then followed the alien not wanting to think how close she was to dying. "Why am I here?" she asked once she stood next to him.

"You have been healed and now you must learn," the alien stated flatly pressing a button on his wrist device.

"Learn? I don't understand," Aidan asked confused by the statement as the scenes of space dissolved and changed. "How?" she asked surprised as she watched images of the day and past year and a half fill the screen.

"These are you memories, Aidan, things you experienced during your time in the suit. We were able to access them while you were in stasis." The alien explained as Aidan continued to watch, after a moment of silence he continued.

"Why are you so troubled Aidan Hinkley," The green guy asked her staring straight ahead.

"Troubled?"

"Yes," he stated turning to her. "In your journey…"

"I don't know… the brakes didn't work," Aidan answered misinterpreting the question. "Then I hit the side of the mountain and…"

"No, Aidan, not the wreck. We have seen your accident and the wounds it caused. We are concerned about your travels as far as the suit."

Aidan sighed, running a hand through her hair and looking at the images before her. She did not know how to answer. Earlier in the day she would have told them she thought the suit was a curse, she still thought that but watching the images of the good she has done since she got the suit alongside the images that reminded what a curse it was made her unsure of the answer.

"I don't know, there are times that I think... no believe you choose the wrong person for this job."

"And you believe your life would be better without the suit?"

"What life?" Aidan dismissed the uncertainty she felt earlier. "I don't have one now, and haven't for the past 18 months or however long it's been since I got that cursed thing. I do not have anytime to myself. Everything revolves around that suit or what scenario Tony comes up with," she pointed to the screen in frustration. "For every good deed up there, there are a dozen missteps to wipe them out, it's stupid," she finished turning away from the images and walking back toward the door she first entered.

"If we gave you a chance to live a path where the suit was not passed to you…" The green guy asked stopping Aidan in her tracks. "Would you prefer that one over the one you have?"

"Yes," Aidan turned back around "but how can you do that, unless you went back in time which is impossible?"

"By your standards yes… but we are not of your world and are not subject to its laws and superstitions. We have the science that gives us the capabilities to achieve this." The green guy pushed another button and the screens faded and what looked like a 3D hologram of a sphere appeared before Aidan as he continued. "Everything you do all that you are is a result of the choices you make Aidan."

Aidan listened and watched as the single sphere split into two connected by a thin silver line. Those two then split in two more also connected by a thin silver lines soon the entire room was filled with thousands of spheres each connected giving the image of a giant spider web decorated with raindrops. In each of the spheres Aidan saw images and realized they were different life lines, differing paths of her life. Each sphere representing a choice she had made creating a dozen different lines she could have taken.

Two spheres drew her attention. One showed her all the events of the day leading up to and ending at the accident.

The other was her at her high school graduation. She didn't recognize the school colors, but knew it wasn't Whitney High School. She caught her breath when she saw her parents, older and not dead come up and give her a hug. In this reality, the one she was looking at, they were not dead, somehow they had survived the crash.

She pushed back the emotion she felt. "I was just a little girl when they died." She whispered reaching to the image only stopping before actually touching it, fearful it would disappear if she did touch it. "What choice did I make that caused there death?" Aidan asked not wanting to take her eyes off the image displayed in front of her.

"None, But the choices of others shape you as well, and how you choose to react to their choices determines who you are." The green guy walked around the image spheres pointing certain ones out, each one glowing slightly as he did so.

The first one didn't need a description, but the alien continued. "When your parents died you could have chosen to give up living yourself..."

He pointed out another one, the image showed her, but it was not her at least not the person she was now. In it she saw cold, cruel eyes staring back at her, someone without love.

"Or, in spite of your parents' wishes you could have chosen to live with your father's family instead of your godparents..." he said.

Aidan turned away from what she saw. It made her sick to see what a cold and heartless person she could have been.

She then turned back to the sphere with her parents "I can choose whatever path I want?" She asked reaching for the sphere, then pulled her hand back when it seemed to dissolve at her touch.

"Yes," the green guy nodded. Aidan smiled slightly at the thought of seeing her parents alive, and missed the slight tone of sadness in the green guy's answer.

"Then I choose this one," Aidan pointed to the sphere in front of her.

The alien nodded. "It is done," he stated flatly as all the other images faded leaving the one with her parents and the one with the accident.

Aidan looked at the spheres, not missing the fact he kept the wreck timeline as well. "Why are you doing this?" she asked pointing out the sphere as she turned back to the green guy, not noticing someone else enter the room and stand in the shadows watching her.

The green guy turned to the sphere that Aidan chose. "Sometimes you have to see what could have been," he then pointed to the second sphere he chose to keep. "To understand what is."

"That doesn't make sense." She said shaking her head Aidan came around the alien standing with her back to the spheres.

"It will Aidan," he simply answered and Aidan turned to the sphere showing the accident. In it, she saw Tony, her partner climbing down to her buried car, and felt the sadness from earlier at the pain she caused. "Will I remember the other life?" she asked, watching the scene.

The green guy nodded. "Yes… for a time, but the longer you stay on the path you chose the memories will fade. And, if you decide to stay and continue on this path, they will fade altogether."

"Decide to stay?" said Aidan, confused at the green guy's implication that this was temporary. When the alien did not respond, she shook her head and looked at the paths that lay before her.

The green guy watched her look between the two for a few seconds knowing her next question would be about the life he pulled her from. "If you choose to remain on the alternate path," he started, pointing the sphere she choose, and then directed her attention to the sphere with the accident. "The Aidan of that life will die."

Aidan turned to the green guy caught off guard by the statement then looked back at the image sphere that held the accident. She tried to rationalize her choice as she watched rescue teams arrive. _If I never had the suit then this would never had happened..._

She felt a tear escape and she wiped it away turning her back on the images. "I made my decision; I want to…" she paused glancing over her shoulder at the spheres then back at the green guy. "I want to see my parents."

The green guy nodded, touching his wrist and for the first time Aidan noticed someone else in the room. Before she could ask who it was she felt and saw the room grow dark. Just as she was starting to go out she felt the second person catch and gently pick her up, keeping her from completely sinking to the floor.

She did not fight it, but let herself relax more as she recognized the arms that carried her. They were human, not alien and they were warm and made her feel safe. As she sunk further in to the darkness, the embrace reminded her of how she felt when her godfather would carry her when she was little. Before she could think on it further the darkness took her and she started her journey on the path she chose.


	6. Chapter 6

A persistent beeping sound penetrated Aidan's consciousness. At first, given how cold it was she thought she was still on the spaceship. "Funny green guy, have me faint get someone to catch me and then say 'too bad, back into stasis you go,'" she mused to herself, only to realize that she was not lying on a hard floor or table, but something softer than that. Feeling soft fabric over her legs and one arm, she realized she was in a bed.

Aidan smelled a faint trace of ammonia and other cleaning supplies. She then slowly opened her eyes, and realized where she was - in a hospital room.

"Well, welcome back Aidan," said a soft male voice near her. Turning her head, wincing slightly at the motion, she saw a doctor looking down at her, checking her pulse. "I'm Doctor Braden," he smiled answering her question before she asked.

"Uh… hi," she said as the doctor then lifted an eyelid and shined a penlight in her eyes as he asked her some more questions. She winced at the light, and guessed she still had a concussion.

"Do you know where you're at?"

Aidan nodded slightly, again regretting the movement "The hospital" she answered, and looked around the room with her eyes keeping her head still. Verifying that it was the right answer, she then looked back at the doctor. "How long have I been here?"

"About two hours," said the doctor. "You were brought here after you were in a car accident, and have a mild concussion and a sprained knee along with a few bumps and bruises. Do you know what day it is?" he asked.

Aidan supplied the answer, which she assumed was right when the doctor smiled as she tested her left knee, and winced. _That's going to hurt for a while,_ she thought to herself as she touched the bandages and ice pack. _Ralph is going to kill me if I miss any more school days teaching,_ she sighed inwardly but thankful there was no other injuries. "So, nothing else wrong?" she asked, closing her eyes. "Sure is noisy in here." She stated after a few seconds.

The doctor looked at her confused, then realized she might've been confused by the heart monitor. "No, just that. The beeping is from the EKG," he explained pointing at the equipment near her bed and continued. "Your accident was relatively minor considering where it was."

Aidan looked at Dr. Braden confused. She didn't consider going over the side of a mountain minor. The women opened her mouth to speak when the doctor continued. "But, the important thing is now you're conscious. …"

"Yeah," Aidan sighed closing her eyes again thinking what the car must look like. "Ralph is going to probably kill me though for not checking the brakes when I went to Big Bear Lake," she said. "Then again, he'll probably be thankful that I wasn't in a wreck as bad as Mom and Dad were."

The doctor looked at her in concern. He knew that she had actually crashed into a telephone pole after passing out behind the wheel, and was lucky that no one hit her when she went through the intersection. The other concern was her talking about Ralph, who he didn't know.

Clearing his throat, the doctor closed Aidan's medical chart. "Yes, you were lucky. Now, I'm going to go visit with your parents and say that you're awake. Just lie back and relax," he said gently.

Aidan nodded pulling the blankets closer. Dr. Braden smiled slightly still wondering about her comment. She had answered his questions correctly though it wasn't uncommon for slight memory loss with concussions. He turned toward the door to leave, and as he was leaving, he heard Aidan speak again. "They're not dead... I get to see my parents' faces again. Never thought I'd get to see what they looked like when I was an adult," she said.

The doctor shook his head sadly stepping out of the room, realizing that his assumption was correct as he headed toward the waiting room. When he arrived, he saw Aidan's parents sitting on a couch, eyes red from crying and worry. "Mr. and Mrs. Onyxsard?" the doctor said stepping further into the room.

Austin looked up at the newest arrival. "Hello, Dr. Braden," he said "How's Aidan?"

"She came to a while ago," said the doctor. Seeing the couple hug in relief, he continued. "However, there are a few things I need to discuss with you. Can you come with me to my office?" Braden asked slightly turning and motioning with his arms towards his office.

Aidan's parents looked at each other, concerned but nodded and after getting up, followed the doctor to his office. Sitting down in the chair, M'Lynn looked at Braden and frowned. "What's wrong with our daughter?"

"Nothing - at least physically," he said opening Aidan's chart in front of him. "I asked her a few questions, like the date, and where she was, which she answered correctly. My only concern though is her memory of the accident. While short term memory loss is not uncommon, her mind is a bit confused. She stated that she had her car wreck at Big Bear Lake. Do you know why she would think she had her accident there?"

M'Lynn spoke up first. "There is an old family friend of my brother's…."

"Friend…" Austin sneered; glancing at his wife before standing up and pacing. "Why would she think that? She has no reason to go up there and hasn't been there in years…I don't even think she knows where that bastard lives…" Austin said but a warning look from his wife cut him off, and the man returned to his seat.

Dr. Braden looked between the two. There was something or someone that affected the family sitting before him and he didn't miss the hatred in the man's tone directed to whoever lived in Big Bear.

Shaking his head and pushing it aside Braden continued. "I don't know, but my diagnosis would be it's from the concussion she suffered. She also said a few other things that concerned me however. Aidan also mentioned Ralph would probably be angry with her for not checking her brakes and being in a wreck like her mom and dad," he said simply. Seeing the couple frown, he continued cautiously. After the small rant a few seconds before and the look of shock on their faces now at the mention of the name, he didn't want to cause any more problems. "Who's Ralph?"

"He's… my brother," M'Lynn said quietly. Austin wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze.

The doctor, concluding that whoever was in Big Bear and Ralph was a touchy subject with the family, decided to not press further and continue. "I see… There is one other thing," He paused a second looking at the chart in front of him, debating if he should mention anymore, then decided it was important. "From the sound of her voice, Aidan seems to be under the impression you are dead or were. She mentioned never thinking she'd get to see your faces when she was an adult."

"Dead?" said the couple now concerned.

"I wouldn't worry too much, she said that not too long after waking up, and was probably confused," he said, trying to alleviate their fears. "When was the last time the three of you talked?"

"Just yesterday. She had mentioned she was going to come visit us at home in Napa," answered Austin.

Seeing the questioning look of the doctor he continued. "My family owns a winery there. You see, my wife and I moved here from Wyoming where I managed the family ranch and took the winery over after my Mother died. Aidan moved to L.A. after graduating from college and we helped her open a jewelry store, I believe she was on her way home there," Austin finished growing concerned for his daughter. "Why would she say that we were in a car wreck?"

"Where you ever in one?"

"No… never," said Austin, only to find M'Lynn put a hand on his shoulder. "What is it sweetheart?"

"Yes we were Austin. Remember, back when she was nine," said Aidan's mom. "It was our anniversary. Ralph and Pam watched Aidan the day after the family reunion so we could celebrate."

Austin's eyes lit up, remembering now. "Yes, that's right… but that was 19 years ago. Aidan wasn't even with us she was at her aunt and uncle's house, but it wasn't serious and I forgot about until now."

"What happened?" said Braden.

"Some drunk driver entered the intersection on a red light. It was lucky I saw him, I swerved and so did he. M'Lynn and I managed to escape, but he ended going off the road and crashing into a construction site," he said, then looked down, sadly remembering what happened next. "His car exploded."

"Did Aidan ever hear about the wreck?"

"No, we called her uncle and told him what happened and that we would be late but we were fine. We never told Aidan or anyone about the other car exploding," said M'Lynn. "Aidan was asleep when we got there."

"Well I wouldn't worry about it too much. She probably heard or sensed something that night and buried it along with the thoughts of her uncle and when this accident happened it combined the two," the doctor said.

"But why would Aidan even think we were dead," said Austin.

"I don't know, it might be a subconscious reaction to her wreck. The police said witnesses saw her lose consciousness behind the wheel prior to her crash," he said, looking at Aidan's chart. "And from what I see based on her medical history, it might have something to do with her condition... Has she been under a lot of stress lately?"

Austin nodded. "Some. She mentioned she had a stressful time lately in the jewelry store. One of her employees decided to try and steal some of the diamonds from her store. When she confronted the person, the person drew a knife on her. Fortunately, she always has security there just in case," he said.

M'Lynn continued. "Not only that, she also has been busy getting ready for her special day," she said with a smile.

The doctor nodded. "I see. But we are going to keep her overnight," he said closing the file and looking at the couple. "I also want her to rest at home the next few days and one important thing - no stress."

The couple looked at each other, frowning. "That's going to be quite hard for her," said Austin knowing his daughter loved her store and worked nonstop to keep it running and out of the red. Not that she had to worry about that however, as the business was one of the most popular in the city.

"I understand, but I don't want her condition to worsen because of the injury she received today and more stress. I also am assuming she hasn't taken her medicine, so she also needs to be reminded to take it as well," he said, then smiled softly. "Now, I'm going to let you go visit Aidan for a couple of minutes, however, if she starts to show signs of anxiety, I will cut the visit short and try again another day."

M'Lynn and Austin nodded, and Braden walked with them to Aidan's room. He knocked on the door first, then entered. "Aidan? Your family is here to see you."

Aidan smiled, a little anxious, wondering what her parents would look like in their 50s. Austin and M'Lynn walked in, and were surprised to hear Aidan gasp. "Aidan, are you all right honey?" said Austin.

"Yeah, I…" she said, waving them closer. Austin leaned over her bed, confused, when Aidan pulled her dad close and gave him a ferocious hug. "Dad… I missed you."

Austin blinked at surprise, but returned the hug as well. "I missed you too. It's been a while since you visited us Napa, but this wasn't how I wanted to see you," he said, pulling back.

"I know, lousy car wreck," said Aidan, then did a double take. "Wait, Napa? I thought you were in Casper?"

Austin, realizing that Aidan had some minor memory loss from her accident, shook his head. "No honey, we've lived in Napa now for about 12 years now, don't you remember?" he asked. Seeing Aidan shake her head in negation, he continued. "OK, I understand with your head injury. But, we moved there when Misha died. She bequeathed the mansion and the Onyxsard Winery to me. We moved there so we could fulfill her wishes and run the business."

"Oh, sorry I forgot," she said, realizing that it was possible that the winery and the ranch in Wyoming could've been in the original will Misha left. Aidan knew in her reality the ranch had been left to her after her parents died and a company took care of it for her as the ranch didn't belong to the Onyxsard side of the family like the winery. Her grandmother kept it separate when she married into the Onyxsard's and let Austin manage it for her.

She realized though while it might have been in the will it would've been for naught as the rest of the Onyxsards in there dislike for M'Lynn and Aidan probably forced Misha to change her will to remove her name from the winery after her parents died. _That might be why Misha handled what she bequeathed me the way she did,_ Aidan thought.

"It's OK Aidan, you've just had a rough day," said M'Lynn as she gave Aidan a hug. Aidan smiled as she realized her parents felt and smelled the way she remembered them: Her mom was wearing that Imari cologne she always liked while her dad wore Aspen aftershave. Both of their hugs were warm, soft and kind, as she always remembered them.

Once she hugged both of her parents, the couple sat down and looked at Aidan. "So, how are you feeling Aidan," her dad asked.

"OK, I've got a huge headache though and I'm a bit sore," she said, stretching her arms out. That was the one thing that confused her through all of this, despite the fact the doctor said she had a sprained knee, her whole body was sore. She wondered what that was, but then realized it was probably from being jostled about in the wreck.

"Oh, those will heal in time Aidan. The important thing is you're all right," said M'Lynn. "It's not easy to get a phone call from Pam saying you've been in a wreck."

Aidan smiled. "Yeah, probably scared Ralph too, but at least it wasn't serious," she said, only to notice the couple flinch. "Is there something wrong?" she asked hoping her aunt and uncle were OK.

Austin, glancing at M'Lynn, wondered if he should elaborate. Seeing M'Lynn shake her head softly, Austin nodded and continued. "Nothing is wrong Aidan," he said, clearing his throat slightly and changing the subject "Listen, we can't stay too long. The doctor's going to keep you overnight for observation and we'll be here tomorrow to pick you up."

Aidan groaned. "C'mon, I feel fine," she said, starting to sit up. She was rewarded with a dizzy spell, which forced her to lie back down. "All right… I see your point. Sorry about that," she said blearily.

Her parents chuckled. "It's OK Ade, you're just still headstrong," said M'Lynn chuckling then giving a kiss on the young woman's forehead. "Now, why don't you rest and we'll see you in the morning?"

"All right," she said as she saw her parents get up. Austin also gave her a hug and a kiss, and the two left. After the doctor again checked Aidan's vitals and asked her some more questions, he said someone would be in every hour to check up on her.

Though Aidan wasn't fond of the idea of someone poking her to wake her up every hour to answer questions, she understood the reasoning behind it. The doctor left, letting Aidan have some time to herself. She turned on the TV to one of her favorite shows, but pretty much stayed lost in her thoughts of the day. While she was surprised to hear her family now lived in Napa and running the winery, she was happy that the green guy did what he said he would: Aidan was with her parents. Finally, she thought, everything was complete. She had her parents, her aunt and uncle, and a normal life.


	7. Chapter 7

After the brief stay in the hospital Aidan was released to the care of her parents who in no uncertain terms told the young woman she was to come back with them to Napa for a week of rest and vacation. Aidan, still riding the joy of finding herself in a world where her parents were alive and well, didn't argue with them.

Now, exactly one week later Aidan was flying with her parents in their private jet from Napa back to Los Angeles. She had spent the past few days recovering from her accident as well as enjoying talking to her parents about various things.

Glancing out the window, Aidan smiled as she saw that they had just touched down on the runway at Los Angeles International Airport. The past few days had been a lot of fun for Aidan, but she had to admit it was good to be back where she belonged.

Austin glanced at his daughter looking out the window and smiled. "Ah... I see our little eagle wants to take flight again," he said, mock sarcasm.

The young woman just laughed, toying with her necklace, which had been a get well gift from her parents. It was a strand of moonstone, blue goldstone, silver and aventurine beads, and had a center drop of a carved blue goldstone butterfly. "No, just glad to be back in LA. Don't get me wrong, I love coming home to Napa, but there's no place like my home in LA," she said, thinking about the visit to the winery. The last time she had been in the town was about two years before Misha was moved to a nursing home. Her grandmother took her on a visit there, as her grandmother's residence was in San Francisco and the Onyxsard winery was in Napa, for a whole day.

Aidan smiled as she remembered touring the vineyards, helping Misha pluck off some bunches of grapes to make Blanc du Bois, and carrying the bushel over to the factory so they could make a bottle of wine for her godparents. Unlike the rest of her family, Misha had always loved Aidan's godparents also, and always wanted to spoil them as well for taking good care of her granddaughter when the rest of the Onyxsards turned their back on Aidan. She remembered too sitting on the patio afterward, visiting with Misha as she drank a glass of grape juice, Misha a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, and both shared a cheese plate...

"Ade, are you all right?" asked M'Lynn, snapping the young woman out of her thoughts. Looking up, Aidan noticed the look of concern on her mom's face.

"Yes, fine... I was just thinking about some times I spent with Misha at the winery," said Aidan.

Her parents chuckled in relief, realizing that Aidan was all right after all. Ever since the accident, they've kept an eye on her and asked if she was all right if Aidan seemed to be "distracted" too long. "OK, just tell us if you don't feel well," said Austin, who had been keeping a close eye on his daughter all trip.

"Oh, I'm fine, just the slight annoying persistent headache you get from having a bump on the head," she said as the plane rolled to a stop in front of the hanger where the plane was normally when ever her parents visited from Napa.

"That will pass," M'Lynn smiled patting her daughter's shoulder. "But if not, we can get some aspirin at Pam's house," she finished as one of the crew members opened the hatch reveling a set of stairs that had been placed there by an airport employee.

"Yeah, it was nice of her and Ralph to let us come to visit today. Wish I had remembered to bring a bottle of Blanc du..." she said, only to pause when she noticed her mom's breath hitch slightly and her dad put a hand on her shoulder. "Mom, are you all right?"

M'Lynn paused briefly before nodding to let Austin know he could get up and continue. "Yes... fine dear, just a little sore," she said, glancing at Austin.

"Oh, I guess you can get some aspirin or something at their house too," said Aidan.

Austin was already at the door when Aidan made her comment and glanced back, also worried about what he heard. This had not been the first time she had mentioned visiting her relatives as though things hadn't changed in the past few years. What concerned them more is that Aidan acted as if she didn't know, and she had been living in Los Angeles for some time.

Aidan looked at her parents, confused at the reaction between the two. "What's wrong Dad?" she said, starting to be really concerned. "If it's something I said..."

"No, honey, you're doing all right. We'll get you your aspirin when we get there," said Austin as they walked down the gate into the airport. He paused for a moment, deciding to gently pry into Aidan's well-being. "Have you been taking your medicine?"

"Yep, all the little pills and such that I'm supposed to," said Aidan, though inside she knew she was telling a white lie. She didn't have the heart to tell them she hadn't been, mostly because she didn't want to become addicted to the pills. The young woman had seen one of her students in recent times come off of a bad addiction to some powerful painkillers, including one particularly bad day she had to physically restrain the student so no one got hurt. Aidan wound up with a black eye, but the student finally calmed down and before long, was cured.

Oblivious to what Aidan was thinking, Austin nodded. "Good, just checking," he said as they headed toward the car Austin had delivered earlier in the day in anticipation of their arrival and the drive to Pam's house. The group got in the car and left the airport for Pam's house.

As they drove, Austin and M'Lynn still kept an eye on their daughter. She seemed so full of life and vigor, which given the car wreck, they were glad she had both and was happy. Though they were glad to see her smile, they also worried if there was a subconscious effect of the accident that was affecting her memory of things. During her visit in Napa, both had noticed that Aidan was telling stories about her past that weren't entirely accurate, such as where she went to college and going to stores in the past month that had been closed down for years, such as Stargazer's World of Beads. Both had been wary of this visit to Pam's house, especially if she didn't remember everything that had changed, but knew that in order for Aidan to heal, they needed to continue with their lives instead.

After about a half an hour of driving, mostly in silence, the car turned off on the road that lead to the house. Aidan's eyes brightened when she saw Ralph and Pam's house reach the car's line of vision. It was the same way as she remembered it - a copper-colored ranch style house with white trim, which Ralph had changed it to back in the 1990s, complete with mailbox and fancy iron work in front of the windows.

After the car pulled into the driveway, Aidan got out of the car and started to head over to the house, only to be stopped by M'Lynn. "C'mon, let's go, they're probably going to be annoyed we're late," she said, slightly annoyed.

Her mother shook her head slightly, glancing at Austin. "Aidan, we think that this time you should walk with us," she said, frowning.

Aidan chuckled. "My knee's healed up mostly and my head's just sore. I just want to see Pam and Ralph so they know I'm fine from my car wreck."

Her parents inwardly flinched, saying a silent prayer that things wouldn't turn sour when Aidan found out...

Austin shook his head, clearing it. "I'm sure that your aunt will be happy to see you're OK," he said gently as they walked up the sidewalk to the door.

The door opened, and Aidan smiled seeing Pam. "Hi Pa... uh, Aunt Pam," said Aidan, deciding, even though her parents hadn't corrected her yet, erring on the side of caution in case she called Pam by her proper title.

Pam smiled and gave Aidan a hug. "Hi Aidan, but, it's just Pam. How are you feeling," she said glancing at Aidan's parents. She frowned slightly at what she saw. From the pain in M'Lynn's eyes, Pam's heart sank slightly. She knew that look, and was wondering why her sister-in-law had it.

Aidan, however, just walked inside, pausing just slightly when she saw the interior. While most of the things in it were just as she had always seen them, the young woman felt a weird air about the design. As if something was missing, but what she wasn't sure about...

"So, how do you like how I changed the furniture around," said Pam, smiling softly. Glancing in the dining room, noticing on particular item in the dining room, she winced. _As long as you really remember where that is..._ she thought.

"Looks great Pam. Bet you and Ralph are a bit sore though from moving it around," she said. "I remember him saying that it was easier back in the days when he wore..."

"Ade, are you sure you're all right," said Pam, now certain that what she saw in Aidan's parents' eyes was not a fluke. "Why don't you sit down?"

The young woman looked confused. "I'm fine, I don't..." she said then remembered what she almost said. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot that Ralph still has the... Oh, can't say it because it's a secret. Wonder what's taking him so long to get home though..."

The other three looked at the young woman, horror now added on to their worry. All three were now concerned that Aidan had suffered more from her injury outside of passing out and hitting the telephone pole.

Aidan, however, was now concerned as well when she saw their looks. "OK, what is going on here? Why are you looking at me like I've gone off my rocker?" she said, looking around. "I mean, I could see Ralph look at the three of you and say 'why the long face?'"

Instead of laughing at Aidan's near perfect impersonation of Ralph's voice and mannerisms, everyone was somber, making her really concerned. "OK, something's up and you guys are hiding it from me. What's wrong? Where's my uncle?"

Pam looked at Aidan and frowned. While she chalked off part of Aidan's naiveté on the head injury and its cause, this was going to be hard to say to the young woman. This held especially true when she remembered the first time Aidan heard it.

After giving a slight glance to Austin to be ready for anything, Pam took a deep breath and let it out. "Aidan, Ralph's gone," she said quietly.

Aidan looked at Pam, confused as to why the woman was sad. "What do you mean gone," she said, then paused, remembering their discussion the prior week. "Oh, I forgot, he's on a trip. He was going to that administrators' conference this weekend to teach that program."

The young woman felt a hand on her shoulder and smiled, thinking it was Ralph pulling a practical joke on her. "Aidan, Ralph's not away at a conference, he died," said Austin instead, trying to break the news gently to his daughter again - especially in her condition.

"Honey, he's been gone for a few years now."


	8. Chapter 8

Aidan turned around looking at her father, aghast at what he said. "What do you mean dead?" She backed away looking at the three people who looked back at her sadly. "I…I saw him the other day he was fine. We argued about me being late for a meeting at school," she paused and looked down. "But I don't work at Whitney do I?"

"No Aidan you don't," Austin shook his head.

Pam watched the young woman as she went through the emotions of hearing that once again her favorite uncle was dead. And it broke her heart more to see Aidan go through it again. Aidan had always been Ralph's favorite niece, especially when Pam found out they could not have kids, and Ralph treated Aidan like his own whenever she visited. Her niece had taken it hard when she heard her uncle was dead.

Pam winced as the memory of that night came flooding back. M'Lynn and her family had come over for dinner and they were waiting for Ralph, when Bill came in. By the look of him she knew something terrible had happened. That was when Aidan came in from the kitchen, just in time to hear Bill say Ralph was killed. When the young woman heard that she fainted from the shock, hitting her head on the buffet and ending up in a six hour coma.

Pam shook off the memory as she watched Aidan step back from the group. She could tell it was it was going to overwhelming for her niece, and hoped there wouldn't be a repeat of that night.

"NO, he isn't dead! He can't be…" She backed up further shaking her head until she nearly tripped over a chair but caught herself and sat down, placing her head in her hands. "I just talked to him….he can't be dead," she said the last part in a whisper and she started to cry as she realized this world was not as perfect as she thought. "I killed him, it's my fault… if I hadn't…"

M'Lynn sat down next to her daughter, and her father continued "No Aidan it wasn't your fault. Why would you even think that? The bastard that did…"

"Is in jail," Pam spoke up cutting Austin off. "It is over, I forgave him a long time ago. Calling him names won't change anything."

He stood up looking at her "Well he is one. He killed your husband Pam doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"It does, but I am doing what Ralph would have done. Besides, Tony was his friend as well as someone he mentored…"

Hearing Tony's name Aidan looked up. "What about Tony?" she asked.

Pam looked at Austin and M'Lynn, wondering if she should tell them about the man. Seeing Austin shake his head, afraid that telling her would put her over the edge and cause her serious problems, Pam shrugged. "Nothing Aidan," she said softly.

Aidan wasn't convinced. "Tell me Pam. Nothing can be worse than hearing Ralph's..." she said, pausing as she tried to hide back the emotions she was feeling.

"Aidan, I don't think..."

"Damn it, tell me."

Aidan's parents frowned. "Aidan Micah Onyxsard, you have no right to speak to your aunt that way," said M'Lynn.

"Then she needs to tell me about Tony, because I'll keep asking until I do. Why the hell are you being so stubborn …" she said, only to receive a slap to her face from her father.

Austin, realizing he raised his hand in anger when he should've remembered she had lost her memory of what happened, started to give her a hug, but the young woman brushed it off.

"No don't touch me…" she said and stared in shock at her father. In all her memories of her father , there wasn't one where he struck her like he just did. This was too much nothing was like she thought it was. It was like she was standing on soft sand in the middle of a storm that slowly yet steadily washed her foundation away. She needed to get her feet back on solid ground, put everything back in focus.

When her father tried again to move towards her Aidan shook her head touching her struck cheek. "Not now Dad, I…I'm sorry…" she whispered then closed her eyes pushing back the tears that threatened to pull her even further over the edge. "I'm sorry I can't take this right now…" She mumbled standing up continued. "I'll go into my... uh, the guest bedroom, and rest some. Then maybe you'll be ready to tell me what happened to Tony."

M'Lynn nodded. "Maybe dear, but I do agree you do need to rest first. You've already had a jolt to your system having to be told about your uncle's death again," she said quietly. "Just lie down for a while, and we'll call you when dinner's ready."

Aidan just nodded and headed to the bedroom. When she entered, she looked around. Instead of the room being decorated with her art, it was designed in simple rose and blue colors. Aidan smiled softly, realizing that Pam had decorated the room in Ralph's favorite colors. She then looked at the wall and noticed a picture. Walking closer, she took a closer look. It was a dedication photo, and apparently at Whitney High. She saw Pam, her parents and her next to someone, presenting Pam with a plaque. Looking above Pam's head, she realized what it was for. "Ralph Hinkley Memorial Library," Aidan said softly, grabbing the picture. She knew that Ralph had wanted to expand the library, but the process had been slow going. Apparently, in this time, the money had been raised and it was dedicated in Ralph's memory…

She closed her eyes. _Oh Ralph_, she thought with a frown as she sat down on the bed. Her father's comments still rang in her ears - that Ralph died. Aidan still couldn't believe what she heard, but realized that was this reality. Her parents were alive, but Ralph died - and Pam was hesitant to tell her how.

Laying down on the bed, she started wondering why Austin didn't want Pam to talk about Tony. How was he involved in Ralph's death? Was he caught in the crossfire of a gunfight and Ralph dove in between him and the gunman? Aidan didn't know, but she realized that she needed some answers and soon, because she needed to know what happened and why everyone was so reluctant to talk about things to her. Tears started forming in her eyes as she looked at the picture again. She closed her eyes, trying to think of a way to get Pam to tell her what happened. Aidan got about half way before she fell asleep, tired from the tears and shock of finding out that her uncle - and godfather - was dead.


	9. Chapter 9

Later that evening, after a long and mostly quiet supper, everyone cleared the table. The meal had been somber, especially after the mood that had been created with Aidan's reaction to Ralph's death.

The evening hit Pam the hardest. It had been nearly a decade since Ralph's passing, but each day it seemed like yesterday that it happened. She never forgot the look of pain in Bill's eyes when he had to tell her the news that her husband had been killed. Even though she knew every time that Ralph put the suit on, he was risking his life for the good of mankind, she always expected him to come back.

Why shouldn't she expect it? He had the suit, the suit gave him the ability to do amazing things so that the good guys won and the bad guys lost. _Most of the time anyway_ she thought with a wry smile remembering times when the suit screwed up an operation more than helped. But even then she knew the suit would protect Ralph, then again things change and the unexpected happens.

Thinking about what had transgressed that evening, when Aidan had to be reminded of Ralph's death, her heart sank further. It was another part of the night she never forgot.

While she would've never wished it on her niece, Aidan knocking herself unconscious for six hours after her faint was probably a blessing in disguise. Her niece didn't have to deal with what was being said by the doctors, nor have to deal with the blame game Aidan's parents put on Bill.

Not only did they blame him personally for Ralph's death, but for something he had no control over - what none of them expected to happen. The event got heated until it finally resulted in shouting, shoving and almost to blows between Austin and Bill before security escorted the two outside to cool down. Pam still flinched at the memory, especially since one of those particular phrases in the fight still stuck out, and it stung to that day...

"Pam are you OK?" said a young voice, snapping her out of her thoughts. Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed Aidan standing in the doorway.

"Yes... I'm fine," said Pam, only realizing her niece shook her head, pointing at her eyes. The woman glanced down and wiped away the tears. "All right, I'm not. It's been a while since I remembered the night Ralph died, so it's a bit more painful than normal."

Aidan nodded briefly. "I'm sorry I hurt you Pam," she said quietly bowing her head playing with the edge of her shirt trying to hide the guilt she felt over upsetting Pam. Aidan didn't want to hurt her aunt, and if she had known Ralph was dead Aidan would never have brought it up. Knowing now that he was hurt and died was still new to her; however, for her aunt it was an old but sensitive wound. Aidan could see that and she had scratched it open, for that she was sorry.

Pam, seeing her niece upset, walked over and gave her a hug. "No Ade, you didn't hurt me. Sometimes I forget you don't remember what happened to Ralph," Pam said. Noticing the other woman give her a confused look, Pam clarified. "You had a severe head injury that night Aidan. For the first couple of hours it was touch and go... but they always said you'd probably have problems with your memory."

"Problems?"

"Well, most of the time you've proven the doctors wrong, but there are times you'll draw a blank on that night and forget what happened. When people remind you, normally you snap back into reality and apologize for speaking about your uncle in present tense."

The young woman took in the information, confused. It was one part of her past that was so similar in both timelines, but so different. While she didn't remember first hand a lot of the night her parents died, she never had to be prompted to remember the simple truth of what happened.

Aidan then shook her head, clearing it. "It's getting better, a lot like when Ralph had amnesia that one time."

Pam looked at Aidan, surprised at the revelation. "How did you know about that Aidan?" She had told M'Lynn not too long after Ralph recovered from the accident so many years ago, but told her not to tell her niece.

"He told me," said the young woman, who went over to help put the leftovers in the fridge. "Of course, he got his memory back after crashing head first througha wall..."

"No, Ade, even if Ralph joked about that, he didn't crash through a wall. He saw a picture of the car that was wrecked and he got his memory back," said Pam, using the created story about why Ralph was injured. "But, I don't see how that accident..."

"More like a train wreck from what he said," chuckled Aidan as she placed the leftover casserole in the top of the shelves. A crash came in response.

Aidan turned around and noticed Pam had dropped a platter on the ground, shattering it and cutting her leg. "Pam, what happened?" she said worriedly.

"The plate slipped," Pam lied as she hobbled over to get a Band-Aid for her leg. She had dropped the plate at how straightforward Aidan had been about the exact cause of Ralph's amnesia those many years ago. He had crashed flying head first into a train with the suit on, knocking himself out for three hours and winding up with amnesia.

The young woman looked at Pam as she went to get a clean dishrag to clean Pam's injury, not convinced that the plate slipped. As she handed it to Pam, she then looked at her aunt and realized exactly why she dropped it - Pam was shocked Aidan knew the truth. "Pam, it's because I said train wasn't it?" she said knowingly.

Before her aunt could answer, a rustle of noises behind the group caused the two to turn around. "Pamela are you OK?" asked Austin as he came over and kneeled down.

"Fine, I dropped the plate," said Pam, putting on the Band-Aid and glancing over at Aidan.

Given Aidan's reaction earlier to events, Austin wasn't convinced. "Aidan, did you have something to do with this?" he said sternly.

"No, it was an accident. I surprised Pam when I talked about Ralph when he had his accident..."

M'Lynn frowned. "Aidan, shame on you. You know better than to upset Pam with stories about Ralph's death..."

The young woman shook her head, annoyed. "I didn't talk about that, just when he had amnesia..."

"How did you know that young lady?" said Austin.

"He told me a year ago," she said, glaring.

Her parents stared at her wide-eyed. "Aidan, don't be silly sweetheart. There's no way that Ralph could've told you last year," said M'Lynn, only to see Pam cover her eyes with her hand, as though she might faint. "Pam, do you feel all right? Do we need to go to the ER?"

Pam brushed M'Lynn's concern away, not wanting her sister-in-law to know what the comment meant to her. _If she only knew everything about…_ "I'm fine M'Lynn... it was an accident and you said Aidan's memory was a bit off right now," said Pam, much to Aidan's chagrin. "Look, why don't we finish cleaning this up and then I'll make us some iced coffees?"

Aidan looked at Pam and nodded. "I'll clean up the mess and do the rest of the dishes. Why don't you take it easy Pam?"

Her aunt shook her head. "No, I'll help Aidan. It's both our faults here. M'Lynn, Austin why don't you relax in the living room and we'll be there in a few minutes."

Her in-laws looked at each other and nodded, heading toward the living room. Both sat down on the couch and sighed, thinking about what happened. "Sweetheart, did you notice the spooked look in Pam's eyes?" said M'Lynn. "It's almost as if Aidan was telling Pam one of those made-up stories she's been saying about Ralph, as though Ralph would walk in the front door again."

Austin nodded. "Yes, I agree. Aidan's still not well enough to be on her own," he said standing up from the couch and pulled out his cell phone. "Listen, I'm going to step outside to make a couple of calls to the winery and have Scott take over for the week."

"We're going to have an impromptu vacation?" M'Lynn asked looking up at her husband understanding he was thinking to do. "What are we going to say to Aidan when she asks why we're staying here in the middle of production? She isn't going to buy a vacation story."

"That I got a call from a local company here in LA wanting to sell a recipe for a new port to our company, just 'business' visits and such," said Austin. "It'll be unusual for her, but I think for the best - our daughter's health is much more important."


	10. Chapter 10

As Aidan's parents talked, Pam and the young woman were in the kitchen finishing cleaning up the platter's glass shards and doing the dishes.

Placing the last of the shards into the trash can Aidan leaned against the counter watching as her aunt pulled out some glasses for the ice coffee. She wanted to know what happened to her uncle, but was hesitant to ask or even mention Ralph's name again for fear of hurting Pam even more.

Even if she did ask Aidan was pretty sure she wouldn't get the answer she wanted, and based on how she assumed Ralph died, instead it would probably be some made up story to satisfy those who didn't or were not supposed to know about the suit like her. No she couldn't come straight out and ask she didn't want to hurt Pam or her family anymore.

She looked around the kitchen sadly remembering the times she spent growing up here, the successful and not so successful Thanksgiving dinners. But in this world they didn't happen, there were no happy dinners here she figured most of them were actually spent with her parents at the family estate.

Aidan wondered how she was going to get used to this world it was so different from hers … yet at the same time it was the same and starting to become comfortable… That frightened her some. She didn't want to forget Ralph and her time with him in that other place.

With a sigh, Aidan went to the fridge for some of the ingredients to make the iced coffee. She was just opening the door still thinking of how to approach the subject when something caught her eye. Closing the door she took a closer look. It was a picture of Bill Maxwell. Bill was standing in a river holding a huge fish aloft and the biggest grin she had ever seen on the agent. He looked happy but she could tell by his eyes he was far from it. She took the picture down and flipped it over hoping it was a recent one, and smiled at the inscription:

_"Finally caught the big one."_

Next to the script was a date glancing at the calendar next to her on the wall confirmed to Aidan the picture was only taken a few months ago. With that confirmation she had an idea. She knew there were only a handful of people that would know what happened to Ralph, her parents, Pam and Bill. Pam and her parents were not going to talk but Bill might.

"Oh this is a good picture of Bill," she said turning around and holding the picture up for Pam to see. "It looks fairly recent."

Pam took the picture and smiled as if at some memory. "It is, that was taken not far from his house in Big Bear, I hadn't seen him that happy in a long time. You would have thought he caught the number one man on the FBI's most wanted list." She chuckled, placing the picture back on the fridge. "I remember when Bill first told us about the cabin he told Ralph and me 'Well kids this is it when the agency finally kicks me out, cause that is the only way I will go, this is where I will land. A little piece of Americana'," Pam said in her best Bill Maxwell imitation making Aidan giggle.

"That was right before…" she finished softly then in order to hide her emotions she quickly opened the refrigerator picking out the items her niece forgot to get.

Aidan wasn't fooled; she knew what Pam was going to say. She remembered Bill in the other time line talking about a cabin when she was in high school, though she couldn't remember exactly where it was in Big Bear having only been there once but she hoped it was the same place and she had to find out. She recognized now that Ralph's death was definitely a sensitive subject and she would have to tread lightly.

"Pam," Aidan asked helping to collect the items and set them on the counter "Do you think I could go …"

"Oh Aidan I don't think that would be wise," Pam sighed setting her items down. She had an idea of what Aidan was doing and didn't want to go there. Aidan's parents had banned Bill from their lives - especially Aidan's - which she knew hurt the agent who saw and treated Aidan as his own niece.

Aidan going to see him would only cause trouble, especially if the strong-willed girl was going to ask about Ralph. So much like Ralph, she thought shaking her head. "Your parents wouldn't like that Aidan…you know they don't want Bill around at all, but only tolerate him helping me some because of Ralph's and my friendship with Bill."

"Pam, I'm adult very well capable of making my own choices. I really want to see Bill… maybe it will help with my memory problem, who knows but I want to go… Please?" Aidan pleaded using her best puppy dog look that in the other world always worked like a charm on her aunt. And, she knew it should - seeing how she learned the trick from her uncle.

Pam crossed her arms in thought. Aidan thought for a moment it wasn't going to work before Pam looked over her shoulder towards the door. She then turned to the notepad next to the phone after a few seconds she tore the top sheet off and handed it to Aidan. Pam wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but she also knew how much Bill liked the younger women and maybe it would cheer her old friend up. _He might even take her mind off everything going on in her life,_ she thought.

"Here is where the cabin is," She pointed to the small map she drew. "It isn't too hard to find, there is my number and his if you get lost." She continued then covered Aidan's hand gently squeezing it to get her attention. Aidan looked up to see more tears in her eyes "Don't tell your parents I gave this to you OK?…"

"Don't tell us what?"

Austin's question startled both of them as they didn't hear him enter the kitchen. Aidan quickly recovered and folding the paper and placing it in her pocket "Nothing, Pam was just giving me her mom's recipe for jalapeño raspberry jam." Then she leaned close to her dad and whispered into his ear. "It's a secret so I can't tell you," she giggled stepping back hoping she didn't sound too nervous. Next to her Pam nodded backing up her story.

Looking between the two suspiciously Austin knew he wasn't getting the full story. The tears in Pam's eyes and the nervous bounce his daughter was doing confirmed this suspicion.

_'Do not bring up the subject of Ralph or the circumstances of his death, around Pam. And any conversation about Bill Maxwell was off limits period.' It was a simple request yet she continues to go against it. Why?_ He thought suppressing the irritation at his daughters continued disobedience. After a moment, he decided it was better for all present to cut the visit short rather than press the issue in front of his sister-in-law. With one last look at his daughter that clearly showed his disapproval at her behavior Austin turned slightly to the side, waving his hand to direct his daughter to the front door.

"I think we had better call it a night," he stated gruffly then held up a hand when saw Aidan start to protest "Not another word Aidan, it's time to go, and don't forget you are still recovering from the accident." He finished in a tone reserved for a parent speaking to a five year old rather than a grown adult. When she didn't say another word he nodded then turned to leave.

With a scowl at her father's retreating back Aidan huffed under her breath, "I'm not five," as she followed him out to the front foyer, Pam close behind. The tension was thick in the foyer as the three collected their things in silence. Pulling her jacket on Aidan tucked the piece of paper further into her pocket, making sure it was secure as It was her only clue to help her get some answers for the questions she had.

What had happened? Why all the cloak and dagger and evasive answers every time she asked about her how had her uncle died? Why did even mentioning the name of Bill Maxwell - or Tony for that matter - bring out such anger and grief? She was desperate to find the answers even if it meant going against her father's wishes. She felt knowing them would help put everything back on an even keel in a world she felt was off keel, confusing and had become a little frightening.

Her father clearing his throat to gain her attention broke through her thoughts and she blushed slightly realizing everyone was watching her. Quickly finishing pulling her jacket on Aidan said her goodbyes to Pam then followed her parents to the car. With one final wave they all got in and Austin pulled the car out of the driveway then steered it towards Aidan's apartment.


	11. Chapter 11

The trip back to Aidan's apartment was silent. The young woman leaned back as they drove, watching the passing scenery but not seeing it. Her mind was going over the day. She still couldn't believe that her godfather was dead. Ralph had always played his role as mentor to Aidan to the hilt, long before she even joined his and Pam's family as their guard and eventually adopted daughter. He would give guidance to his goddaughter whenever she had a rough time at the "other" side of the family, and along with Pam would try to find a way to always make her smile through the roughest times.

She loved them even more for the guidance and the humor they gave during rough times, but those things didn't stop when the rough times stopped instead they flowed into every aspect of their lives both in the good times and the bad. Even though her godparents provided plenty of fuel to the comedy and calamity in the house she knew her contribution was a healthy one.

Many of those times came to Aidan as she continued looking out the window, most of them faded like old pictures you might find in a box that had been stored in attic long forgotten. Other memories were clearer one in particular stood out. She was in the third grade and heard the news that her teacher was going to be expecting a baby soon. Aidan also learned her teacher would be absent for six weeks after the delivery.

When she arrived at home later that afternoon, she was still confused as to the news of why her teacher would be gone so long. When she noticed Ralph sitting in the living room, making his lessons for his special education class, she decided to walk over to him and ask.

Aidan smiled, remembering what happened next. Ralph had looked up at Aidan, noticing her perplexed look and asked her what was wrong. The young girl looked at him and asked in her mind a simple question: _"Where exactly did babies come from?"_

The young woman chuckled, remembering how red Ralph blushed at the innocent question, barely able to stammer out that she would need to ask _Pam_ that question.

While Aidan was lost in her memories in the back of the car, in the front seat of the car Aidan's parents held their own quite conversation over the evening's events only interrupted when a soft chuckle or mumble would float from the back to the front. Each time one or the other would look back with concern at their daughter then share a look with each other.

It wasn't the small chuckles or mumbles that bothered them that was a common thing for Aidan and what they thought at times to be her overactive imagination. No what concerned them was Aidan's behavior tonight. She was totally out of character for their daughter. Normally she was very polite, well behaved, especially when it came to obeying her parents, whether she was five or in her twenties. They never have known her to be so forceful and disobedient especially over something like this.

Neither was convinced that the small paper Austin saw his daughter push into her pocket contained a recipe from Pam, and the tears in the older women's eyes was clear evidence Aidan had told her aunt another Ralph story one that she most likely made up with that paper, upsetting her aunt. And that kind of behavior along with everything else they couldn't understand. It was so out of character for their normally well organized, level headed daughter.

If Ralph had passed away a few months ago they could understand Aidan's insistence at bringing up his memory and even encouraged it knowing how much the women loved her aunt and uncle. But he hadn't died only a few months before, but nearly 10 years earlier and while Aidan had no memory of that night from her fall and eventual amnesia of that night she was told her uncle had died.

Both at first attributed this change to Aidan's accident, and were willing to go along with it with the doctors assurance that everything was alright, but after tonight's events both agreed Aidan couldn't keep living in her dream world of Ralph still being alive. If she kept it up, both surmised, she'd eventually lose all sense of reality.

Looking in the mirror again and seeing Aidan chuckle and mumble something about her uncle, Austin cleared his throat. "Aidan I know the accident caused some problems but I don't think your behavior tonight was appropriate," he said bluntly.

Aidan's head snapped up, thoughts jolted by the comment. "Dad what…"

"You know as well as I do your Aunt Pam has had a hard time dealing with your Uncle Ralph's death - even now, and you bringing it up acting like he was alive…"

The young woman stammered, surprised at the sharp - almost accusing - tone he had in his voice. She felt her face turn a little red. "I didn't know he was dead... I... I didn't remember…"

"Aidan Micah, you know he's been dead for nearly 10 years now," he said. "But, you kept acting as though he could simply walk into the house again."

"I didn't remember," she argued, then softened her tone. "He's not even supposed to be dead...you …" Aidan paused, realizing that she could not say the truth of her time - that Ralph was alive, but they were dead. _I'm already in hot water, no need to get told I'm going crazy,_ she thought.

"What were you going to say Aidan?" asked Austin.

"Nothing Dad…" she said, and fell silent, watching the buildings go by. After a few moments, she spoke up again. "Could we go visit Ralph's grave tomorrow?"

The young woman's parents looked at each other, silently arguing the issue. They remembered how rough the days after her uncle's passing had been on the young woman, and were surprised at her request. Both knew that while Pam chose to have a memorial service, Ralph's ashes were strewn out into the sea.

The request was one that surprised M'Lynn at the time, who thought Ralph had suggested being cremated but the cremains to be interred in the mausoleum. But Pam insisted that Ralph changed his will, the reason was that he didn't want people thinking of him as being in a marble building - because he didn't feel that his soul would be there. It still confused her to that day, but Ralph's sister also knew that her brother always wanted to do what he could to benefit all… and apparently it included in death.

After a few moments, her mother spoke up. "No Aidan… I think it best we don't go to the cemetery," she said.

"Why not?"

"Well… it just brings a lot of bad memories to you," she said, deciding to not mention Pam's request.

Aidan, however, was not convinced. "Bad memories? What else could be worse than knowing my uncle's dead?" she said, then thought about everything that could've happened that caused his death - including possible suit cases. "Did he die in some horrific way that you guys haven't told me about?"

"No, Aidan… your mother and I just feel that you need to not over tax yourself right now, especially with your head injury…"

"I'm fine, Dad, I'm sick and tired of constantly being told that I need to be coddled and treated as though I'm glass," she snapped, growing frustrated. "Let's go visit please…"

"No, Micah," said Austin, and Aidan froze. She knew that if her father called her that, he was becoming really upset with her. The only other time she was ever called by her middle name was if one of the Onyxsards spoke to her.

Aidan sighed, and then pulled out the slip of paper from her pocket and read the information on how to contact Bill. Aidan realized that she was not going to get any answers or closure from her parents, so she knew now that she chose well to go and ask her uncle's friend. "Bill will help…" she said outloud, thinking.

Hearing the name, Austin glared through the rearview mirror. "Bill who?" he said pointedly.

"Bill Maxwell, I … figured I'd call and say hi, see if he needed…" said Aidan, only to grab onto her seat as her dad suddenly pulled off into a parking lot.

Putting the car into park, he turned around and glared at his daughter. "Now, listen here Aidan Micah, I've have been patient with your comments and questions about that night, even tonight with your strange behavior, but" he said, his steel blue eyes penetrating into her very soul. Seeing he had her full attention, he continued. "But, I better NEVER hear you mention that bastard's name again."

Aidan looked at him, shaking slightly with fear at the abrupt change in his tone. "Why… what did he…"

"He destroyed this family - Pam's life, your mother's life, your uncle's life… your life..."

"My life? How..."

Her father continued, ignoring the question. "I never EVER want you to find him or even mention his name again."

"But…"

"NO BUTS. Do you UNDERSTAND?" he said, nearly roaring. Aidan paled, almost to the point she thought she'd pass out. She remembered her father being angry at her when he was alive, but never to this point. In fact, the way he was acting toward her… she could swear that every ounce of him was a pure Onyxsard instead of the loving father she remembered. She could only see bitterness and hatred in his eyes, just like she always did when she visited that side of the family when she was younger.

She slowly gathered her composure and nodded. "Yes sir," she said, on the verge of tears. She cleared her throat to avoid sounding upset. "I'm sorry I upset Aunt Pam...I'm sorry I ruined tonight."

Hearing the almost pleading tone in her daughter's voice, M'Lynn touched Austin's shoulder and looked at her husband. In that look, she gave him a warning glare of her own - _Let her heal Austin… don't destroy her life like mine was when Ralph died,_ it read.

Seeing Austin nod his head, turn around and put the car back in gear to head out to the freeway, M'Lynn turned to her daughter. "Aidan you didn't ruin tonight, we understand with the accident and work it has been tough on you…" she said, looking at her daughter and smiling. "But it will get better you will see."

"I hope so," said Aidan softly. "I hope so."

Aidan's mother smiled and turned back around. The rest of the trip remained silent, each person lost in their thoughts of the night, about Bill, and for Aidan, how to find out what happened to her godfather, the one missing part of the puzzle. Once she found out, she surmised, she could finally decide which path she wanted to choose - and with no regrets.


	12. Chapter 12

It wouldn't be until a week after visiting Pam that Aidan found an opportunity to drive up to Big Bear and talk to Bill. As she drove along Highway 18 up to Big Bear, her mind drifted over the events leading up to this point, from the time she woke up in the hospital, her visit to Napa, then to Pam's house and finally the past week.

She frowned at the thoughts, especially the last week and how much it took to convince her parents they could go home and that she would be fine. Though after her accident and then her behavior at Pam's house they were hard pressed to believe her, she was able put up a good front, going about daily activities in what she figured was normal for this reality. But all the while in the back of her mind she was just waiting for the opportunity to seek out Bill Maxwell and find out what happened to her uncle. Aidan knew while her parents were still in town they would never let her visit Bill, so she had to wait until they left. She thought it would hard pick up the "normal routine," but instead it was easy. Each day, she would easily fall into the daily working of her small business and interaction with clients and employees. Aidan did it so well in fact that it she felt she could get used to this. …

This thought startled her, it scared her how easily she could accept this reality and forget all about where she came from. Forget about Ralph and Pam, Tony and the suit, and accept that those she loved and cared for were now in jail, widowed… or dead.

In the past week, besides convincing her parents everything was back to normal she had to constantly remind herself, why it was all an act, that this wasn't where she belonged and why she needed to remember. But the harder she tried to remember it seemed the faster the reasons and memories slipped away. It was like holding onto water in the palm of her hand only to have it escape the harder she grasped it.

Aidan sighed as she rounded a rather dangerous curve, bringing her focus back to the road and from her thoughts. Once around the curve, she ran a hand through her hair as she tried to remind herself once again why she was going to the cabin, why she was going against her parents' wishes to leave the past lay were it belonged, dead and long buried. …

"No, not buried, not dead," she whispered in frustration clutching the steering wheel harder and forcing back tears that threatened to blur her vision. "I'm doing this for Ralph… I need to ask Bill what happened to my uncle, his friend…" Aidan told herself, repeating the same mantra she told herself every day for the past week, ever since she found out her uncle was dead. The young woman chanted it anytime she had to pause, and try to remember why - and it seemed to be more often than before.

When the mantra failed to bring the reasons, Aidan hit the top of her steering wheel with her hand in frustration. The sting the action caused brought back the reasons: Ralph was dead in this timeline, it wasn't supposed to be like this. …

But, then again, her parents are alive.

She sighed, willing her emotions back. Isn't this what she asked for? Isn't that what she wanted? Isn't that what she longed for, just to see her parents, for her life to be simple, with no complications of the suit and everything that came with that other life? It was her own actions… her choices that brought her to where she was now.

_But at what cost,_ she mused as she drove. Was it worth trading one life for another? Ralph was dead and her mom and dad who died in the other timeline were now alive.

_Her parents,_ Aidan sighed, thinking some more. After their visit with Pam, Aidan went home to make plans to visit Bill. When they looked over her shoulder and found out what she planned to do - to visit Big Bear, her parents again warned her to not try and see Bill, claiming too much pain and stress for her. They even went so far as to forbid her to go, as if she was 5 years old asking to go to a neighbors to play rather than the adult she was.

They stated very plainly that he, Bill Maxwell, was no longer a friend of the family, but why she had no idea. Though Aidan said that she wouldn't do it, she knew that she had to talk to the man, if nothing else to know what happened to Ralph so she'd have some closure. It was something she needed, though at the time for the life of her she couldn't remember why closure in this case was so important. Even now the reasons slipped once again from her memory as she continued to think about her parents.

After about a mile, Aidan passed a point on the road, and felt her heart turn to ice. When a shudder ran down her spine, she realized she needed to pull over to collect herself. Pulling into a small turnout just past Big Bear Dam, Aidan stopped the car and got out, walking to the edge of the small lookout. The edge was bordered by a rock barrier, simple in form, and complete.

She felt a shudder course through her body, reaching the most inner part of her, despite the heavy coat she wore and the bright mid-morning sun. Confused, she looked down, and saw that the drop off was a fairly steep hill with boulders - one that stopped just at door level of her car - and other brush peeking out above some of the snow that had fallen the other day.

The young woman paled slightly, feeling the shudder again and made the connection - this had to be where she had the accident in the other timeline. Shivering even more, as though the air had turned her cold as ice, Aidan wrapped her arms tighter around her and headed back to the car, getting inside. She then looked at her watch and frowned, realizing she'd have to hurry or she might miss Bill before he went fishing or on an errand.

After about five more miles, she turned off on the road that led to Bill's cabin. When she arrived at the number, she was surprised to find that it was a fairly small cabin, made out of logs and shingles. To her slight amusement, she noticed that Bill still had a tan car - but instead of it being a sedan, it was a four door Toyota Echo.

Getting out of the car, Aidan felt a slight shudder run down her back. She was nervous now, wondering what Bill would look like in this time as well as how he'd react to her talking about Ralph. The two had been very close - partially because of the suit but increasingly because they found a common bond, so she knew that Ralph's death had to be painful for him.

Walking up the porch to the door, Aidan took a deep breath and let it out, then knocked on the door. She heard a grumbling as footsteps approached.

The door opened, and Aidan stepped back slightly in surprise as Bill peered out the screen door. With the exception of a silver beard, Bill looked exactly she remembered him in the other ... was it other?... time.

Bill, however, was a bit disgruntled at the sight of the young woman at his door. He had a sinking feeling as to who it was, given she did have a bit of a resemblance to his friend - her mother's brother, which only made it harder for him to see her. "Who are you?" he asked, just to be sure he didn't make a mistake as to who it was.

"My name is Aidan Hin... uh, Onyxsard," said the young woman. "It's been a while, Bill..."

"Aidan huh? What are you doing here..." he said, narrowing his eyes at her looking at her through the screen door. He then looked around, making sure her parents weren't in the vicinity. "Do your parents know where you are?" he grumbled.

"Umm, No they don..." she said, confused by his response. From the sound of his voice, her parents had said something to him that hurt him deeply. Why he was being cold to her, however, she wasn't certain.

"Good then get... I don't need any trouble," he said abruptly, only to see her stay on the porch.

"Trouble? Bill... all I want to do is ask a question..."

Seeing she wasn't going to move, Bill pushed the screen door open, causing Aidan to step back rather quickly. "You don't hear real well do you...I said get out of here," he says rather gruffly still stepping forward, until Aidan is totally off the porch and he was on the top step. Seeing he had her attention, he then nodded his satisfaction. "Now get... you don't want to catch hell from your parents. Believe me, I know."

Though a bit stunned at the man's remarks as he turned away, Aidan persisted. "But Bill..." she said, taking a step forward to follow him again.

The agent paused, his hand still on the door to open it to go inside, kept his back to her. "Look, I don't know what your game is but your parents made it clear that I was not welcome any more after what happened..." he said. 'Despite my friendship with Ralph ...'

"But that's why I came here. I need you to tell me what happened to my uncle."

"There isn't anything to talk about he's dead," he said abruptly. It was not something he wanted to talk about, especially since he saw what happened - all of it.

"But he was your friend...and I need to know what happened no one will tell me and it's important," she said.

"Like I told you he's gone… been gone a long time," he said, entering the house and about to shut the door, keeping her out.

Aidan didn't miss the fact he changed his wording - that he said gone rather than dead. The words had different meanings, and she also knew that Bill rarely would change the two.

Given that she wanted to find out more, she realized that there was one thing that would make him listen to her. She also wanted to know why it didn't protect Ralph.

"I know about the suit Bill..."

Bill froze in his tracks, his head spinning at the abrupt announcement. He was pretty sure that Ralph had never told anyone outside of Pam that he wore the suit. For Aidan to know about it, either Ralph had kept it a secret to him that Ralph mentioned it to her or she found out on her own.

The retired agent turned around glaring at her through the screen. "What?…" he said coldly, then realizing he admitted she was telling the truth, tried to bluff it out. "I don't know what you're talking…"

Aidan stepped forward, putting her hand up to tick off the items that made up the suit. "Yeah you do: Red tights, red tunic with a funny emblem on it, black cape with red trim, boot spats, a grey belt…."

"Sure honey, and you know what that emblem looks like… little red robin boppin' around the bend," he said sarcastically, trying to see if she really knew about it or was lying.

Aidan shook her head. "No… it looks basically like a Chinese character, but I've always felt it looked like the top of an antique key…" she said, then noticed Bill pale. "Are you all right?"

Bill nodded, still dumbfounded. "OK, so ya know about the suit, but you'd better forget about it real quick. It's a curse, and it curses everyone who knows about it."

"What do you mean?" she said, only to pause when Bill turned away. "Don't turn your back on me Bill, and don't think I am going away cause I 'm not. Not until you talk to me " She said in frustration stepping closer to him, then taking a deep breath and calming her self she continued, her voice barley steady "I need you to tell me…to help me to understand, please." She said the last part almost pleading, hoping it to reach that part of him that still felt an obligation to her uncle and their friendship.

Bill ran a hand over his face then looked at the screen door in front of him. Aidan's stubbornness reminded him so much of his best friend, it brought back to many memories, it hurt too much. It would be to easy to simply ignore her and walk through that door, locking her and the memories of her uncle out.

More than ever, he wanted to send her packing, but knowing she was related to his long dead partner, Bill knew he was not going to accomplish that goal until she had her answers. He just hoped this would not be too hard - on either of them. He turned slightly in her direction "OK," He said with a sigh "since you've come all the way here ta try and find me… but ya ain't gonna like hearing what happened to your uncle."

"I know he's dead... or so everyone keeps telling me," Aidan said walking over until she stood in front of him, but far enough away so he didn't feel crowded. The last thing she wanted was for him to feel intimidated and run. Looking him in the eye she continued "I need some answers, and it sounds like there's more to it isn't there, and the suit's involved. You're the only one Bill who can give me those answers."

The agent nodded, and motioned her to a chair on the porch. She sat down, and he sat across from her in a porch swing. He rubbed a hand over his eyes, trying to keep his emotions at bay. "Yeah, it was. Still remember it like it was yesterday," he said. "Ralph and me were on a drug bustin' scenario over near the ocean. Large bust of meth cocaine - probably the largest bust at the time. Pretty easy case, we go in, me with the gun and Ralph with the suit, and we put the kibosh on the project."

Aidan blinked in surprise. "A drug bust? That should've been easy..."

"So we thought. Ralph of course bundled up the creeps nicely with some tire irons and then we put them in my car. He changed out of the suit and we were about to leave. I don't even know why he took the suit off I mean sometimes he did that, in case backup was coming and he didn't want to leave me totally alone. God I wish he hadn't." Bill paused for a second running a hand over his eyes as if the action would wipe away the memory as well as the tears that were forming there. Aidan heard him mutter something about allergies though she knew better before he continued.

"Anyway, It was then we hear a gunshot near the car," he said, then his voice broke slightly. "We turn, me with my gun drawn, and see someone pointing a gun and yelling at us - a third dealer who was also a user. He was particularly aiming at me… because of our past. Ralph tried to get him ta calm down, and that it wasn't my fault for the creep's firing from the agency, but he wouldn't listen. I tried to get the man to put down his weapon, but he only said 'payback's a bitch...' and pulled the trigger…."

Bill took a breath and let it out. "That's when Ralph stepped in between us and took the hit, with no suit to protect him… why…." he said, and frowned when he noticed Aidan start to cry. He knew exactly how she felt, but kept going. "Anyway, after Ralph fell, I took a shot at the creep and got him. Went over to him, and found he was alive, but completely defenseless. I wanted…"

Aidan paled slightly when she saw the hatred in Bill's eyes. "To kill him," she said, finishing and knowing how Bill must have felt. She also had the same feelings one time in a different case, but Ralph was only out cold and she mistakenly thought that he had been killed. She remembered, however, how it took everyone to talk her out of going through with her revenge.

"Yeah, I wanted to... but Ralph had come around and told me not to... how I heard him I'll never know, but I listened," said Bill. "Since the creep was out cold, I ran back over to Ralph and held him in my arms to ease the pain... the wound was bad - it hit his heart. I knew he was a goner, but couldn't let him know…"

"But he knew though," she said, remembering vaguely the visit to the ship and another time… the day she got the suit. Aidan had never told anyone else, but as she started to piece together more of the events leading up to her receiving the suit, she realized how close to death she had come. What had scared her though was she remembered how much at peace she was with the possibility just before the green guys sedated her to heal her wounds.

Bill, not knowing this alternate time, continued though slightly confused by her comment. "Yeah... and made me promise ta take care of the ones he loved. I said I would, and then... well, he died," he finished choking back the lump in his throat, and blinking away the tears that threatened to spill over from the memory of that day. There was more to tell, but The old agent couldn't bring himself to tell anyone - including Pam - what he saw happen in those last few moments, and made a vow to never say.

He tried to brush them away, but realized that even Aidan understood how he felt. "The rest is pretty much what you know... had to come over ta the Couns... sorry Pam's home and tell her the news. What I didn't expect was that you were there and ya'd faint and hit your head though..."

"Like the other time..." said Aidan, realizing this part was similar to the other reality.

"Other time?..."

"Sorry, it's just I don't remember a lot about that night, so I see it as another time," she said, though she knew it was only partially true.

"Oh. But your parents blame me for both Ralph's death and you being unconscious in the hospital that they told me ta never see ya again. That'd I'd curse you just like I did the guy who killed your uncle."

Aidan blinked, confused at the response. "How could you influence Ralph's killer? You were a good agent."

"I was, and so was Villacana until he went sour after being caught with drugs at the agency. Tried to deny it, but even Ralph got a holograph of him with them," he said, only to see Aidan lean over slightly with her head in her hands. "What is it?"

Aidan, however, didn't hear Bill's words. The feelings and emotion that were surrounding her were too difficult to explain - rage, hatred, nausea, faintness, anguish, confusion - and all directed at Tony and the world she was living in. The quickly were replaced by guilt - that her choice affected not only Ralph's future, but Tony's as well as everyone she knew and loved.

Bill, however was concerned. "Ade, are you feeling OK? C'mon speak to me," he said, afraid that she was either going to faint like she did so many years ago hearing the news, or throw up.

Aidan, however, ran a hand over her face, trying to not cry out in anguish. "Tony killed Ralph?" she said between tears. She couldn't believe that her teammate and friend in the other time turned out to be Ralph's murderer.

Bill, seeing Aidan's anguish but not sure how to comfort her, put a hand on her shoulder. "Yes, honey, he did. I would've killed him if Ralph didn't tell me not ta. Your uncle was a tree-huggin' hippie until the end," he said with a wry smile. "Tony of course got the book thrown at him and he's now serving life in prison with no parole. Too bad he couldn't get Old Sparky or the gas chamber. Deserved both."

Aidan shook her head at the notion, but continued. "OK, but what about the suit?" she asked, wondering what happened to it. The only story she knew of someone else wearing it besides Ralph or herself was the one that Ralph told her of a Holly Hathaway getting it. While in that time it was a dream he had as a warning to not use the suit for gain, for all Aidan knew Hathaway did receive it after Ralph's death.

"Don't know. The green guys musta picked it up not too long after everything. Who knows if it's still here on Earth or in that intergalactic Chevy."

The young woman looked at Bill, then decided it was time to ask. "OK, can you at least tell me where was he buried?" she said. "No one seems to want to tell me where Ralph is so I can visit his grave and have some closure. That's why I came here."

"I can't tell you..."

Aidan quirked an eyebrow, a bit skeptical about the response. "Bill, you were his friend, you can tell me," she said, but then realized that there might be another reason why he said that. "Wait, was he buried? Or was he cremated and his ashes strew about? Though I didn't see an urn anywhere at Pam's…"

"Neither," he said abruptly, then paused, realizing his mistake.

Aidan shook her head, now really confused. "Neither? Bill, he'd have to be either buried or cremated. I know he wasn't going to donate his body to science. For some reason, that seemed to bother him" she said, only to see Bill shudder some. She narrowed her eyes, wondering if she had been played for a fool. "Bill... What the hell is going on here? You're not answering me - are you lying to me? Is Ralph dead or did he… I don't know, wind up with amnesia, leave the hospital and been walking around not knowing who he is for years?"

Bill ran a hand through his silver hair, frustrated. He still wasn't sure how Aidan knew about the suit, and even if Ralph told her, Bill knew the man hadn't told her this "fun" part about the green guys. "He's not dead… not in the way you and me think anyway."

"What do you mean? Everyone here thinks I'm going bananas for insisting he's alive," said Aidan, confused.

"Never mind, I already said too much. just drop it OK," he said, getting up to go back into the house.

Aidan stopped him. "No Bill I won't drop it. What do you mean he isn't dead...you just said so yourself that To…" she said, still reeling at what she had heard. "Tony killed my uncle and you saw him die. But now you're saying he's not dead…"

Bill glared at her hand on his arm and swung it around, making her release it. "And I said drop it Aidan."

"Artie…" she corrected.

"What?" he said, confused.

"Bill, you always call me Artie. I mean, I used to hate it, but now I know it's a term of endearment... like you call Ralph Kid…"

"Called Ralph 'Kid,'" he said, admonishing her again for insisting Ralph was alive. "Besides, Artie doesn't fit ya."

"Yes it does Bill, That's what you always call me…"

The man shook his head, almost reaching the end of his patience. "Aidan, this conversation is over. Your uncle to this world is dead and has been for a long time... Now I am asking you to leave…"

"Bill, you can't just throw me out. I need to know what happened to my uncle, I need to know where he is. Why the hell won't you tell me?"

"I already did," said Bill cryptically. "And I still don't know how you knew about that cursed suit. If you want to know the truth then blame that - it was what killed your uncle. And you might as well as forget it before it ruins you too, if you know what's good for you."

"Bill…" started Aidan, only to see Bill slam the door into her face. Aidan banged on the door jamb a couple of times, and not getting a response, stood there shocked at the man's behavior. She wrapped her arms around herself, and felt as though everything had happened the past few days came crashing on her: the accident, the ship, the head injury… Pam, Bill, M'Lynn, Austin saying Ralph was gone … blaming herself for it… Bill not saying where her godfather was… that Tony killed Ralph… people hiding facts from her… _'Ralph's dead Aidan'_…

"Stop it!" Aidan shouted, covering her ears and closing her eyes. The sounds disappeared, and she opened her eyes, only to shake her head as the world seemed to spin around. She felt weird, as though there was a warmth about her. It confused and frankly scared her… "What the hell's going on," she wondered.


	13. Chapter 13

Inside, Bill closed his eyes and shook his head as guilt washed over him. Ralph had been gone for a while, but he knew exactly what Ralph would've said about his treatment of Aidan:

_"Bill, you don't treat people like dirt … no matter what. She's my niece - quirks and all - and deserves respect. You made a promise to take care of her."_

The agent sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "You're right Kid, I shoulda been kinder ta Aidan, given the Counselor said she had a head injury," said Bill as he turned back around and headed toward the door when he heard Aidan shouting, and quickly opened it. Looking outside, he saw Aidan staring at the door.

Bill opened the door and stepped outside. "Listen, Aidan, I'm sor…" he said, but stopped when he saw that Aidan was pale as a sheet and not moving.

Frowning at Aidan's appearance, Bill took a step forward… "Aidan, are you all right?" he asked.

Aidan on the other hand could see Bill's mouth moving, but she didn't know what he was saying. "Bill something's wrong," she tried to say, but she couldn't get her mouth to work. She then started to feel the world grow dim…

Not getting a response, Bill tried again. "Aidan… can you hear me… Ade…" said Bill, only to see Aidan's eyes roll into the back of her head and collapse.

Bill caught the woman, grumbling in pain but thankful he was at least strong enough to slow her fall down, and assisted her to the ground. He was about to prop her feet up when he saw Aidan start to convulse. "What the hell," said Bill, more in shock than anything, and started removing items around her that could break and cause her more harm.

Once he was sure that she was safe, he grabbed his phone and called the paramedics as he kept watch over Aidan. After what seemed like an eternity, Aidan stopped having seizures and went limp. Bill, remembering his first aid, checked to make sure Aidan was breathing and had a heartbeat. Finding she had both, he then gently rolled Aidan over onto her side so she didn't choke.

The man then looked at Aidan, frowning as to why she had the fit. While he knew Aidan had a recent head injury, based on the bandage on her head, he remembered Pam saying that it was not serious. It didn't explain why she was having seizures. Looking at the unconscious woman again, however, he furrowed his brow in thought. "No bracelet, but I wonder…" he said, and then loosened the collar of her shirt. Sure enough, he found a chain around her neck he didn't notice earlier.

Pulling out the chain, he found a Medic Alert necklace. Flipping it over, Bill frowned when he read what was on the back. It confirmed his suspicions.

"Epilepsy," he said bitterly, feeling his heart sink when he realized what he helped cause. "Damn it, Ralph, why did ya never tell me that?"

Bill remembered how Ralph would always gush about Aidan, wishing that if he and Pam could have children of their own he'd want a daughter just like Aidan. It was also why he made a promise to Ralph as the man was dying that he'd take care of both Pam and Aidan.

What he had failed to tell Bill was Aidan had epilepsy, and in a few instances she had a grand mal attack at their house when she was visiting them during vacations. She had them off and on when she was younger, but they disappeared for a while. After her head injury the night Ralph was killed, the seizures came back and with greater intensity. If Aidan didn't taken her medicine, she could go into grand mals if the shock was too great...

Shaking off the what-ifs, Bill checked Aidan's pulse and breathing. Finding they were stable, he covered her with a blanket and then called Pam, telling her to call Aidan's parents and tell them what had happened. Bill then looked at Aidan and sighed. "Honey, I wish you never knew about the suit," he said softly. "All it's done is cause you and me more grief."


	14. Chapter 14

Outside the sun was shining of the tops off mountains in the distance. A few ducks were flying in a "V" on their way to spend the winter in the south. Everything seemed happy and peaceful, as though everything was perfect. For some however, it was freedom from a gilded - and unfriendly - cage.

Aidan sat in the day room of an adult care facility in Napa Valley, looking out one of the many windows. But she didn't see any of what was going on out that window. She did not really care, as this spot in the day room was just a spot the nurses sat her in when she wasn't in her room restrained to her bed. It was for her protection, they said, because they feared she would do something to harm herself, even though she insisted that she was recovering. She at first fought them, but after being sedated in order to keep from harming herself or others, she finally just stayed passive to the daily ritual.

The young woman sighed slightly, trying to not think about what had happened that put her in the facility, but it came crashing back.

When she woke up about an hour after her attack a hospital not far from Bill's house the doctors told her she had a seizure, and after running some tests, scolded her that as a person with epilepsy she should remember to take her medicine.

She laughed at first hearing the diagnosis, thinking it was some kind of joke, and said that she didn't have epilepsy - only to have reality of yet another difference hit home when no one else was laughing.

That was too much for her, the final straw that helped snap her fragile hold on what she believed. At first she tried to tell them, anybody who would listen that this was not her reality, it was not were she belonged. No one believed her though, and she couldn't blame them because she didn't know herself what was real any more. Her head said that she was where she belonged, but her heart kept telling her to escape that reality. And in a vain attempt to escape the reality she now found herself she had slowly retreated into herself. She was no longer the Aidan that her parents or anyone knew.

After a while, she started ignoring everyone around her, and the minutes, stretched into hours then into days until she no longer knew they were passing. They just all ran together in that simple hospital room, broken up by visits from her parents or some other relative she couldn't name.

The world went on without her voice in matters as the doctors and her parents discussed what was wrong with her. Everything they had tried didn't work: therapy sessions she'd fight the doctor when he said she was lying and giving her tranquilizers to sleep only caused her nightmares.

Eventually, conversations had started to be filled with words like "mental and physical exhaustion," and rest and special care were discussed in how to treat Aidan's condition.

Snatches of conversation filtered through, with her mom telling Aidan of a place not far from the house in Napa where she could heal from all the stresses that were upon her at the moment. "The best in the country and money can buy" her parents said, as if she cared, or had a choice in the matter, which she did not in either case. Even she knew that the doctors considered her a health risk to herself given she chose to not take her anti-seizure medicine and had her parents get a court order to take charge of her medical treatment.

So, the arrangements were made and Aidan went were she was told and the world still went on, but without her participation. She felt that if she participated beyond the bare minimum it would mean she had to accept her fate. Accept this reality for what it was, to live with the choices she made, but she did not want to.

The worst part, however, Aidan was forgetting more every day why she could not accept this reality for what it was. There was always something niggling at her consciousness, but she couldn't draw it out of her mind to where she could picture it. Yet she had to hold on to something... anything in order to survive where she was at until she could go home, so she kept trying.

Home, a word that had so many meanings, but none she could understand or made sense where she was. Small glimpses of a memories or feelings that she somehow knew and recognized but could not place would come back to haunt her like a cruel form of phantasmagoria. They would tell her that those memories were home. Aidan felt she knew what or where home was but every time her mind reached out for it, it was gone. That picture of home kept fading as though it were slipping through her fingers like water and the harder she tried to hold on to it the faster it slipped away.

Slowly, she began to doubt those memories, and decided to think again. Maybe this is was her reality, and those other things, people and places were a dream. Faded images of things that could have been but no longer were and no longer would be. Aidan started to realize in her pursuit of these memories or dreams she had lost who she was. And the longer she stayed that way, the harder it'd be to return.

She slowly saw that everyone had paths laid out before him or her, but they had to choose which to follow. No one could make that choice for them, but they were responsible for the decisions they made. Eventually, she knew that she would have to choose to fight and make choices - that if she kept this way she'd lose any realities she knew and would become an empty husk.

As she started to accept her choices, she saw all the possibilities laid out before her. Aidan realized things she never thought possible or even dreamed of were now within reach. Others were simple, no matter where she was, yet other dreams seemed so far away that it could never be a possibility in her life.

On this day, Aidan realized this last thought was never more real to her until a visitor came with her mother that day.

"Aidan," M'Lynn softly called out stepping closer to her daughter who seemed lost in thought, not knowing Aidan was finally enjoying the view from the window and the road ahead.

Aidan's mom smiled softly, glad to see that her daughter had not had a relapse and withdrawn into herself again. The past month though had been hard on them especially seeing Aidan in the adult care facility in the sanatorium.

She had always been thankful that she was the one who received Pam's phone call the day Aidan visited Bill. M'Lynn had a hunch her daughter wouldn't listen to her father, so, when she got the call that Aidan had a seizure at Bill's cabin, M'Lynn promised Pam she's make up a story. When Austin arrived at the hospital, M'Lynn told him about how Aidan was going to a business in Big Bear to look at a possible collection to sell in her store and had the fit there. Fortunately for everyone, Austin believed the story, knowing how much his daughter wanted to have the best for her customers.

However, when they first brought her to the sanatorium, they thought she would never recover. They even resigned themselves to the fact there daughter as they knew her was gone… until one day a week ago, M'Lynn had visited and Aidan seemed to come alive. The light that had been missing for so long inside Aidan was returning.

The woman smiled at the memory of that day when Aidan turned to her and smiled, acknowledging she was there, and it was day she would never forget.

Seeing her daughter had not listened to her welcome, M'Lynn took another step forward. "Aidan," she called again this time placing a hand on her shoulder.

Aidan jumped slightly at the touch then turned away from the window. She blushed slightly as she faced her visitor. "Sorry Mom, I guess I didn't hear you," she apologized as she stood up to give her mom a hug.

"That's OK," M'Lynn smiled as she brushed a stray hair out of Aidan's face then looked out the window. "It is a beautiful view," she said slipping an arm around Aidan's waist guiding her to the other side of the day room and continued before Aidan could say anything. "I have a surprise for you."

Aidan looked at her mom wondering what surprise she could have, seeing how the staff seemed to balk at anything remotely fun. "Let me guess you were able to get me some Kung Po chicken," she said smiling. It was something she had been longing to eat, especially since the hospital food was blander than the white walls in her room.

M'Lynn laughed "No, no such luck but ..." she held up a hand when she saw Aidan mock frown. "But I have something that is a lot better than Kung Po chicken."

Aidan laughed softly. "Now what could possibly be better than ..."

"Your fiancé," a new voice said behind Aidan, which she instantly recognized and spun around.

"Rodney!?"

The young man was exactly as she remembered him, and was carrying a stuffed grey toy cat. Aidan walked over to him and gave him a big hug, which he reciprocated. The two then kissed as he picked her up and spun her around briefly before setting her down. Aidan looked at Rodney and smiled. "Rodney, I… it's great to see you. Just, what took you so long?" she said.

Rodney looked at Aidan and smiled softly. "I'm sorry Ade, that I wasn't able to see you here sooner. I saw you in the hospital in Big Bear but I don't think you realized I was there," he said, deciding to not mention that the times he visited Aidan had been sedated or withdrawn into herself. "And your parents thought it was best for me to wait…"

"It's OK Rodney, you're here know," she said, smiling. Realizing what he had said earlier, however, she looked at him, confused. "Wait a second… did you say fiancé?"

M'Lynn looked at Aidan and frowned, worried. "Yes, sweetheart, remember? He popped the question on your birthday," she said. "You just don't have your engagement band on because it's being resized and you're here."

Rodney chuckled. "Yeah, but don't worry, I've been faithful like I always have," he said, showing her his promise ring she had given him earlier that year and handing her the toy. Seeing Aidan give the cat a hug and smile, he continued, offering her his arm. "Now, do you mind if I sit down? I'd like to visit, unless you're busy."

The young woman smiled and linked arms. "Nope, not busy… I have all the time in the world," she said as the two walked over to the table. M'Lynn looked at the young couple and chuckled. She was happy that Aidan was responding nicely to seeing Rodney, and hoped that between his, hers and Austin's visits that before long the young woman would recover and they could be together as a family again.


	15. Chapter 15

A few days later, Aidan was sitting in the recreation room of the hospital, writing in her diary every thing that she remembered from her dreams and thoughts. Looking at a phrase, noticing a mistake in her memory, she sighed, scratching out the comments and rewriting them correctly. It wasn't the first mistake she had made in the diary that day - in fact it was one of many, and each time she made a correction, she would doubt if the correction was correct.

While she had not decided at the moment which life she wanted to lead, she knew that time was running out. She was going to have to choose what dreams she wanted to follow. Whichever one she chose, however, she knew that there were many consequences to the choice.

She had just finished entering her story… no memories she thought, but again doubted, when a nurse came in and walked toward her. The young woman flinched, wondering if she was going to be told to take more medicine when the nurse smiled. "Aidan, you have a visitor," she said.

Aidan was confused, as she wasn't expecting anyone, but then realized it might be Rodney coming to say hello. He had popped in several times since he first visited her in the adult care facility, and she welcomed seeing him. "OK…" she said, smiling softly.

The nurse nodded and as she walked back into the hallway to get Aidan's guest, the young woman ran a hand through her hair to make herself presentable. She looked up and gave a smile… only to feel it fall when she saw it wasn't Rodney… but someone who had become her bane. "Hi Bill." she said, her voice slightly cool.

Bill noticed her reaction and grimaced. Though he had managed to convince the nurses to let him in to visit, that he wasn't a threat like her parents had claimed, he wasn't sure how she'd react. He had a feeling she'd be upset with him because he was partially to blame for her seizure, but he also wanted to show that he was sorry and did truly care for her well-being.

"Hi honey," he said, smiling as he walked over to where she was and sat down in a nearby chair. "You look great. Like the pink slippers you're wearing with your clothes…"

Aidan rolled her eyes, realizing what he was trying to do. He was trying to make her feel less unnerved around him. Not that she wasn't surprised, as she blamed him for being part of her seizure, but it was more annoying to her that he had to act this way. "C'mon cut the crap, that's not you," she said, making the agent squirm slightly. "Why are you here? What do you want? "

The man ran a hand across his face, taken aback slightly that she was so direct. "Uh… well, I wanted to see how you were doin' …"

"Wanted to see how I was? I'm in a damn sanatorium recovering from a seizure you helped bring about and other issues - shouldn't that explain enough?!" she said brusquely and loudly. Seeing the other patients and doctors look at her, Aidan softened the volume of her voice, but not the intensity behind it. "Why should you care anyway? You made it very clear where I stand.…"

Bill tried to put a hand on Aidan's shoulder, but she brushed it off. He took a deep breath and let it out, remembering that Ralph had said her dad's side of the family could be more stubborn than he was. "Because I made a promise to your uncle to protect you and make sure ya were doin'…"

Hearing now that Bill had failed in keeping a promise, Aidan bristled more. "Why start now? You've had all this time to watch and protect me, but look at me now. Bet you'll say that I'm two fries short of a Happy Meal," she snarked.

"You're not crazy, just confused," he said gently.

"Yeah, tell that to the doctors and my family - oh wait, you can't because they don't want you around. And, neither do I," she said and turned her head away from Bill to look out the window.

Bill, noticing that Aidan was trying to get him to go away, stood up to leave. He took a step, but then stopped, frowning. While he noticed Aidan was stubborn, he wanted to let her know exactly why he was there.

"Aidan, I'm starting to keep my promise now because that's what he'd want Aidan. I shoulda listened ta him too in spite of your parents, especially since I found out you…" he said, but decided to let the fact he found out she had epilepsy the way he did drop. Seeing Aidan brush her hair back with her hand, he realized she was paying attention and continued. "Anyway, I'm sure he wants me to keep my promise too especially now…"

"Wants?" Her eyes lit up when Bill spoke present tense about Ralph. Aidan realized then there was hope for this reality - that Ralph was alive somewhere.

"Wants what?" said Bill, confused at her reaction.

"Bill… you said 'he wants me to… especially now.' You believe he's alive too… you must've found something," said Aidan, standing. She then got closer to the man so she could whisper. "OK, when are you going to sneak me out…"

The retired agent, realizing his faux pas, shook his head. He didn't want to give her false hope, even if she knew about the suit. "Aidan, I'm not getting' you outta here. I'm lucky your parents aren't here so I could even see…"

Aidan ignored Bill's comments and continued. "C'mon Bill, you might need my help getting the suit back to Ralph…"

"Forget the suit Aidan," he said bluntly, hoping she'd listen. Bill had heard comments from Pam that the doctors would not release Aidan simply because she kept talking about the suit and what it could do, let alone insist Ralph was alive. He also learned that while he still remained faithful to the young woman, Rodney was considering changing his mind about marrying Aidan because she wouldn't even listen to him that Ralph was dead.

The young woman, however, remained defiant. "No… not until I have some closure here. You know something about Ralph, but you won't say. Why will you not tell me?"

"Because I can't… I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have," he said, wincing as he remembered the events the day she collapsed and had her seizure.

"Some friend you've been to Ralph. He would tell you to tell me because not telling me is hurting me worse," she said with a growl. Seeing the agent turn away, she just threw her hands up in frustration. "Fine, turn away and leave. I don't care anymore, since no one else does, but if you're going to be that way just stay away from all of us… including Pam."

Though they were just words of an empty threat, Bill felt as though he had been punched in the gut. He so wanted to tell Aidan the truth, but he knew that if he did, Aidan could have another seizure - or worse. That was something he knew that her parents, Pam and Ralph wouldn't want.

He fought back tears as he turned away. "Listen I know you and I ...even your parents and me don't get along…maybe they have good reason, and maybe you do too. I mean if I never met your uncle he probably wouldn't be dead, but I can't change that. No matter how much I want to I can't. He's dead, I came to accept that no matter my role in it and you have to also or you'll lose everything," he said, clearing his throat to hide his emotions. "He's gone Artie and there is no bringing him back. Just accept it, I can't change and neither can you."

Hearing what she thought was an awful nickname clicked in Aidan's head. During her time in this reality, Bill had never called her Artie until then. If he called her that, she mused, he must believe her story to some point. Aidan knew then she couldn't give up or accept the fact that she should just give up. "Bill… you called me Artie," she said, and smiled when he turned around in response.

"Artie? … Musta misheard me Aidan," dismissed Bill.

Aidan was unfazed at the man's bluff. "No, I distinctly heard Artie. If you called me that, there's hope. Ralph's alive… I know it and you know it."

The agent flinched inwardly at the young woman's earnest belief in what he knew could never be. He couldn't bear to hurt Ralph's goddaughter anymore than he already had and decided the only way she was going to heal was for him to walk away and never talk to her again. "No honey, Ralph's dead. That's all there is to it Aidan… ya can't change it anymore than I can," said Bill as he walked away.

"Bill…" said Aidan angrily at the man's response, starting to walk toward the man. She stopped when two orderlies blocked her way. "Where do you think you're going Miss Onyxsard," said one of them with a polite, but insincere smile.

"I'm going to speak with Mr. Maxwell and find Ralph," she said, trying to walk by them.

The two men grabbed her and pushed her back to where she was. "You're not leaving here."

"I don't have time for this, I'm fine," said Aidan, only to find the orderlies grab her and start walking to her room. She started to struggle. "Let me go… I've got to get Bill to listen to reason and help me find Ralph… he's not dead, and I know it."

The orderlies only kept dragging her to the room, but Aidan still resisted, making it hard for them to keep a hold on her. One of the men tried to grab her legs to pick her up, but she succeeded in kneeing him in the groin. The reaction and surprise from the two men was enough to free herself from both of their grasps and she made a dash down the hallway to the window. "Ow, damn it the bitch just hurt me," said the orderly as she fled, deciding that release from the pain was worth the reprimand for insulting a patient. "Go get a doctor George."

"Right Mike," said George as the other orderly dashed down the hallway to catch the runaway patient. Aidan, however, ran to the window and looked outside. Seeing Bill walking to his car, she started banging on the window. "Bill, get me out of here. We need to find Ralph…" she screamed, upsetting the staff and patients. Though Bill saw the commotion, he just shook his head and entered his car, driving off.

"Damn it… let me out of here…" said Aidan, who decided to go for the emergency door. She almost reached it when she felt several hands grab her and nearly tackle her. "Let me go you sons of a bitch…"

"Aidan calm down. You're going to have another seizure if you keep this up," said the doctor soothingly as he arrived to where the orderlies and others were trying to restrain Aidan.

The woman glared as she fought to get free. "I'm fine… I need to find Ralph!"

"Aidan, he's gone. You can't live your life in the past," said the doctor as he filled a syringe. "Just relax now. You'll feel better soon."

Seeing the doctor's movements and realizing what they were going to do, Aidan and only struggled harder, even managing to bite one of her assailants on the arm, making him release his grip on her. Her victory was short lived though as another nurse kneeled and grabbed her around her knees to keep her from kicking anyone or escaping.

Despite this, she kept fighting, much to the disdain of everyone involved. "Stay away from me you bastards. I don't belong here… Let me go," she shouted, struggling harder.

"It's all right Aidan…" said the doctor, but Aidan only resisted. After a couple of moments, the orderlies were able to keep the young woman still just long enough to let the doctor inject her with the sedative.

Aidan felt a slight prick in her arm and a fullness in it after as the medicine was injected. "Why you sorry pieces of sh…" she growled, but after a moment realized the sounds of the doctors', nurses' and patients' shouts and commands were growing fainter.

She also noticed her movements growing sluggish, and couldn't even throw a decent punch anymore. As darkness closed in she felt herself being picked up by the orderlies and being strapped to a gurney.

The last thing she thought before losing consciousness was wishing that she never said what she did to the green guys. …


	16. Chapter 16

Suddenly, the noises stopped and it was dark. Aidan opened her eyes with a start and abruptly sat up, realizing she wasn't restrained - or on a gurney for that matter. Instead, she was on a table of some sort. Looking around, and only seeing darkness, she remembered what happened. "Great… now I get to be taunted while I'm under sedation," said Aidan, sighing in defeat as she pulled her legs close to her. She then rested her head on her knees, thinking about everything that had happened.

"No, Aidan, you're quite conscious," said a voice in the darkness, scaring Aidan.

"Who are you?" she said fearfully, looking up as a bright blue light shone from above on her.

"Do not worry Aidan, you know us. You have for over a year now," said the figure as he stepped into the light.

Aidan blinked when she saw it was a green guy, in fact the same one who sent her into the alternate reality. "Hello Mr. Greenguy," said Aidan with a soft, but confused, smile. She then quirked an eyebrow, a bit skeptical. "Are you sure I'm not really lying somewhere in the hospital unconscious and about to have my brains fried or something?"

The green guy smiled and reaching out, pinched her arm. Seeing her yelp, he chuckled. "Is that not proof enough?" he said.

"Yes it is… but you pinch hard," she said, rubbing her arm. She then paused, thinking about the events. "Wait a second… since I'm awake then tell me this. I was sedated just a couple of moments ago… or I think so."

The green guy merely nodded, confirming what happened, but confusing the woman. "OK, so if I was drugged only a short time ago, why am I 'quite conscious' as you said - so quickly?"

"We have ways of removing drugs and anesthetics from your system, even if they have already induced unconsciousness," he said. "You should suffer no ill effects, and if so, we have treatments for them."

"Oh," she said as her vision adjusted to the world around her. She then realized where she was. "Why am I back on the ship?"

"Because you said you wished you never said what you did to us. That is part of a choice we gave you - a time out of sorts as you'd say," said the alien simply. "You have seen what might be."

The woman nodded, wiping away the tears that had started to form. "Ralph's dead… if it's not my parents, it's him," said Aidan, her voice breaking at the revelation. "Two sides of the same coin, but they lead to one thing… death."

"That is part of the circle of life, and every choice is part of that," said the green guy. Aidan closed her eyes and took a deep breath, knowing this would be difficult to say. "What happened to Ralph in this reality?" she said, only to see the green guy turn away. "Sir, Bill said that Ralph was gone, but wouldn't tell me where he was buried. That's why I didn't believe him."

"Because I wasn't buried Aidan," said a new voice. Shocked at hearing that voice after a few days, she turned and saw the figure. She was stunned to see who it was.

"Ralph?" she said, slightly in disbelief as she got up off the table and walked closer. She paused, a bit hesitant to progress to see if the figure was real. After seeing the person hold a hand out though, she grabbed it and the man walked forward. Sure enough it was Ralph, who was wearing a sports jacket - complete with the elbow patches he always wore, pants… and a white shirt with a blue suit emblem like the green guy wore.

However, other than the fact it appeared as though he wasn't dead - or even had ever been shot, there was something odd about the man. "You're young," she said. "You look as young as I am."

Ralph chuckled. "Yeah, it's a gift of the green guys. I don't know why, though I'm guessing it's a thanks for the help, but they did this," he said.

"But, you're wearing a suit… well a white one under your clothes."

Ralph looked at the shirt and made a face. "Yes, but at least I got them to agree to let me wear a jacket and pants over it," he said. "I guess it was a way to say I could feel grown up."

"Yeah, the suit can make you feel like a little kid," said Aidan, and both chuckled. "But I thought you couldn't wear it anymore."

The man shrugged. "I don't know your reality, but here I did until… well…" he said, letting the fact trail off.

Aidan cleared her throat, realizing again the truth about this Ralph. She thought for a moment, then realized she needed to know this answer, especially with her seeing him there. "So, if you're here, am I here forever too," she said simply, ready to accept her fate. "Did the doctors screw up and kill me?"

The green guy shook his head and answered instead. "No, again you're out of both times. You have one more choice to make, and your fate will be decided," he said simply. "Either way, what has happened will change. You will start anew."

The young woman paced for a few moments, then paused, turning to Ralph. "I don't know what to do," she said as she ran a hand through her bangs, flustered. "I don't know if I want to wear the suit anymore. Why did I get it in the first place?"

"I don't know Ade, but if it's anything like the green guys did with choosing me, it was because they know the good you can do," he said gently. "I see that in you, even in my world."

"But, it keeps ruining my life. I've missed work, dates, spent time in the hospital, so much so that I should have a frequent patient card…"

"Maybe, but I have too. Yet, even with those hindrances, I persevered, and you will too," he said, chuckling. He then sobered up slightly, so she would listen to every word he said. "It's not easy, like the green guy said. But you get another chance, you can choose which life you want to lead. Before you choose though, this is what you need to think about: Do you sacrifice a little bit of time and comfort to help many, or walk away from it and let people you know you could help end up like what happened here?"

Aidan nodded sadly, knowing this was difficult. She had two choices: Live the life she knew, one where Ralph and Pam had adopted her and she wore the suit, or one where her parents were alive - but Ralph was dead and she didn't have the suit nor could help others that way.

Both choices could lead to great lives, especially since the green guy said she would get to start over, but Aidan realized the biggest effect of her decision of all was who lived - and who died. That was what really scared her - this time, her choice also made her essentially the judge, jury and executioner, and all over the choice of wearing the suit or not.

After weighing the options and the results of both, she took a deep breath and let it out, knowing the life she knew was going to change… again.

"I want to return to my own timeline - the reality I was in before I was first beamed up to the ship," said Aidan to the green guy. "I have to wear the suit."

The green guy, noticing her brief glance toward Ralph nodded. "Is this your decision? You did say the suit was ruining your life."

"It does, but the more I think about it, I've been thinking about it wrong. Yes, I do have those problems, but if I walk away… I'd never forgive myself, and that… would be something I couldn't overcome," she said, then her voice grew firmer. "I want to wear the suit… Sure it's rough, but if I don't… people could die who aren't supposed to."

Ralph smiled softly and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad to hear that Aidan," he said, and glanced at the green guy.

"So am I," said the alien.

Aidan smiled. "I just wish I was wearing it when I was in that wreck. It's going to be hard to explain why I'm all right afterward, if what you said about my injuries was true," she said.

The alien only nodded his head. "It was bad, but it could have been worse. You must be careful with your emotions Aidan. Those emotions helped cause that wreck, and it could've cost you more… it could've cost you everything."

Ralph nodded, and catching the green guy's look, had a feeling what was coming next. But instead of what Ralph thought, the green guy motioned him to come forward. Aidan looked at the two, curious, but after patting her shoulder, Ralph went over to the green guy.

The two chatted briefly, and Aidan's godfather was handed something by the alien. As they parted, Ralph looked at the green guy again.

When the alien nodded, he turned to his niece. "Aidan it's time to go back now...but before you go the green guys wanted to give you something as a reminder of what happened," he said, holding a simple blue box in his hand. "You have a gift Ade to make this world a better place. That is why they chose you. Whether it is with your hands to create jewelry for people or with the suit to change someone's life for the better, it still a gift and no one can take that from you. Remember that OK?"

"I'll remember," she said. Ralph placed the box in her hands, briefly squeezing them, and she put it in her pocket.

The man looked at the green guy again, and seeing the green guy nod, realized what he had to do now. "So, I guess this is goodbye - for the moment," he said simply.

"Yeah, guess so… Goodbye Ralph, see you soon," said Aidan, giving the man a hug. This alternate Ralph hugged Aidan tightly, not wanting to let go but knowing he would have to soon.

Aidan returned the hug, and smelled Ralph's aftershave. It was the spicy smell of Old Spice… but, she noticed, it was a little different, almost intoxicating. After a few moments, she felt sleepy and started to relax. "Ralph…" she said.

"Yes Aidan?"

"I'm tired…" she said slightly muddled.

Ralph flinched, giving a glance at the green guy. He then knew that what he heard the green guy speak to him in telepathy was true. In order for Aidan to return to her timeline, she was going to have to continue on the same path she left.

He knew she would be in the hospital injured and unconscious, but not as critical thanks to the green guys. And, this time, however, he was a part of that path - not the green guy with his device.

Despite this, he continued as though it was normal. "I know you are, but you'll feel better soon."

Feeling herself relax some, she started to worry. "Ralph, I'm scared…"

"It's OK sweetheart," Ralph held her closer trying to reassure her from her fear. "Just rest…" He then picked her up, carrying her to the table.

Aidan leaned into her godfather's shoulder as he carried her. She heard Ralph telling her it was going to be OK as he laid her on the table then took hold of her hand, gently squeezing it. "You'll be all right Aidan," he said softly as brushed her bangs away from her face.

His words followed her into her sleep, then they changed. His voice was no longer youthful but aged containing more wisdom, it was still telling her it was going to be OK. She clung onto it and followed it, as she held his hand.

Aidan could still feel his hand, but now it wasn't smooth but aged yet still strong. She recognized it, because these were hands that held her when she found out her parents died and helped her recover from that accident. And, the same voice that told her then it was going to be OK was talking to her now…


	17. Chapter 17

"Aidan, I'm here. C'mon sweetheart, wake up," said Ralph quietly as he held her limp hand. Sighing, he turned to look at Aidan's face. She still looked pale and slightly waxen, just like she had the past two days plus she had lain in a coma. The only sign of color on her face and the purple bruise on her jaw where Tony had tried to stop her from leaving.

Remembering the story his former student told him, Ralph was not too happy with the fact that Tony hit Aidan. But, he understood the reasons why - and it was one of the few times he wished that Aidan had the same glass jaw that he had. He'd rather her had just been sucker punched and brought back to his and Pam's house handcuffed rather than...

Ralph frowned as he wiped away a few tears, thinking about the events that had happened since the car wreck that put Aidan in the hospital. Tony had found her in the car where it went over the side of the road and landed about 200 feet from the lookout point. One side was nearly covered by an avalanche of rocks, debris and snow, the other side the driver's side butted with a boulder. The roof, while it showed some signs of damage, appeared to have not been severely crushed.

Fearing the worst but hoping for the best, he called for a rescue team and paramedics, then ran down the side of the hill and reached the totaled car, looking inside. Aidan was inside, slumped over the steering wheel after the airbag and seat belt stopped her from hitting the wheel. Her head was bleeding, and looking down, he knew that her left knee was injured - possibly dislocated or broken. Tony was pretty sure though that she might have some damage inside the knee as well. She also had a gash in her thigh as well, which like her head wound were bleeding slowly.

Tony, taking a calming breath, reached for Aidan's neck to find a pulse. While she was cool to the touch, he let out the sigh of relief when he found she in fact had one. After covering Aidan with his jacket, then updated the paramedics, saying they needed LifeFlite to be on standby as well.

Once the paramedics had stabilized Aidan and took her to the helicopter waiting to rush her to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Tony took a nervous breath and dialed a familiar number. It was one of the two phone calls he wished he never had to make - someone was hurt, or someone was dead. He was thankful that it was the first one, and he hoped it would stay that way.

When Ralph got the phone call that she had been LifeFlited to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center after being in a severe car wreck, he felt nauseous as he relived the night her parents died. The feeling worsened when he remembered the last time she spoke with him, it was an argument. He prayed those words weren't the last they'd ever say to each other.

After rushing to the courthouse to get Pam, who had stayed there late to look over a case she was presiding over, the two headed over to the hospital, where the doctors told them Aidan was stable, but had a severe knee injury and fractured ribs among a few other injuries. The worst, however, was the doctor saying she had a moderate concussion and hypothermia, which combined put her in a coma.

For the past two days, Pam and Ralph would take turns staying in her room, doing what they could to let her know that they were there and to get better soon. They also would manipulate her arms and legs to exercise them and keep her muscles from atrophying. Most of all, they also prayed that she would get better soon and not suffer the same fate as her parents.

Ralph glanced over at the cards that lined the room and smiled faintly. They, along with a pendant a student made for her, were from students and faculty wishing her to get better soon. Aidan was a popular teacher at the school, and he felt the well-wishes from the school population would only help her get better.

The man looked at Aidan again and put a hand on the side of her face, stroking it gently. "Aidan, nothing in the world would make Pam and me feel wonderful than for you to wake up," he said softly as the doctor came in.

Ralph glanced at his watch and chuckled softly, realizing the man was like clockwork, having come in every few hours to check on Aidan's condition. In an odd way, the man's punctuality was had a calming effect from the worry if Aidan might never - _no she would_, Ralph told himself - wake up.

The doctor bent over, checking Aidan's pulse. "How are you doing Mr. Hinkley," he said politely, though he also wanted to be sure that Ralph wasn't making himself ill from worry. The doctor had already received voices of concern from his patient's friends and family that her godfather was starting to refuse to take breaks and let Pam or someone else visit. While he understood the reasoning - given that Ralph lost his sister in a car crash, the doctor didn't want to end up with two patients.

"As well as I can be. I just wish she'd wake up," he said. "It's been too long…"

"Mr. Hinkley, given what happened, your goddaughter is lucky to be alive," he said abruptly.

"Yeah, lucky… I've heard that a lot here lately," he said sarcastically. While he admitted it was the truth, he didn't want to hear that all the time from the doctors and nurses.

The doctor looked at Ralph with a diagnosing look, studying the man's reaction and mannerisms. He didn't mean to upset his patient's godfather to that point, but was thankful that Ralph was not giving up on his goddaughter. Some cases - he remembered sadly - the patient's family just sat there doing nothing except wait for their loved one to die. _But not here,_ he mused, _Aidan's family is fighting along with her no matter what._

Seeing Ralph's glare, he apologized for staring and then checked Aidan's eyes. "I'm sorry, I know this is tough on you. I want her to get well too, especially after the pictures I saw of the wreck in the newspaper. It's a miracle she got out with the few injuries she has, let alone live. And the freezing temperatures helped also. It slowed her system down and kept her blood loss at a minimum. However, these sadly do take time to recover from," he said gently, opting to not say the worst thing that could happen to his patient's godfather. "Her body's healing itself right now."

Ralph nodded. "I know… I should apologize. I've done this before," he said. Seeing the doctor's curious look, he continued. "She she's been out cold for a long time before, when she was nine, but it was only a few hours. But this..." He paused and looked at his goddaughter the continued in a whisper as he fought back his emotion. "This has been two days, going on three."

"I see," said the doctor as he checked the IV bag and the IV itself. "All I can say is she's improving. She's responding to treatment, but I don't know when she'll…"

Ralph closed his eyes and nodded, resting his head on his and Aidan's interlocked hands. A couple of moments later, he felt a slight squeeze on the back of his hand.

The man looked up, eyes wide open in disbelief, and then at his hand, slightly hopeful he wasn't imagining things. "Ade?" he said. "Doctor, I think she just squeezed my hand."

The doctor tilted his head and went back over to her side. "Aidan, can you hear us," said the doctor, grabbing her other hand and trying to make her move it. He frowned when Aidan didn't respond.

"Here, she'll listen to me. Let me try again," said Ralph, chuckling quietly in hope as he moved his chair closer to Aidan's bedside. He then gently squeezed her hand, trying to get her to respond. "Aidan, squeeze my hand again… please sweetheart."

After a moment, Aidan again weakly squeezed his hand back. Ralph held back a cheer as he leaned over near her. "OK, I can feel you squeezing my hand. Now, open up those pretty eyes of yours," he said.

It took a few tries, but Aidan slowly opened her eyes, wincing at the light and closing them again. "I know it's bright, but you need to keep your eyes open now," said Ralph, and trying again, she succeeded. "Hi sweetheart. Welcome back."

The doctor bent over into Aidan's line of sight. "Hello Aidan, I'm Dr. Brandon Ulvalde. It's good to see you awake," he said gently. Seeing Aidan look at him, squinting in pain, he realized that she was conscious of the world around her.

Aidan turned back to Ralph and tried to say something, but her voice cracked. Ralph looked at the doctor again and frowned. "What's wrong?" he said.

"Nothing to be overly concerned about. Her voice will return in a day or so," he said, and checked her pulse. "Now, can you go outside and wait for a few minutes? I have to do some further tests."

Though he didn't want to leave Aidan alone so soon after her waking up, Ralph nodded and, after putting a gentle hand on Aidan's face, stood up. He started to walk, only to find that Aidan would not let go of his hand. "Ade, I'll be right outside the room," he said, only yelp when she squeezed his hand tightly. In fact, she was holding his hand so tight now that her arm was shaking, and for some reason Ralph could not pry free from it.

Looking at her face, Ralph could see that she was staring at him, and giving a look that he knew - all too well. It read, "Please don't leave me." Ralph also noticed that she looked back at the doctor, apparently frightened at the thought of being alone with the man. While he knew that Ulvalde wouldn't harm her, he was still concerned.

Seeing Aidan's pulse and blood pressure start to skyrocket, the doctor also looked at his patient in worry. "Aidan calm down…" he said, taking a closer look at his patient. Seeing the tears and worry in Aidan's face as she looked at Ralph, he started to think. While medical-wise, he was pretty sure she didn't dream while in a coma, his heart couldn't help but wonder if that belief was wrong and she did in actuality dream something, and it was something bad had happened to her godfather.

Whatever it was, he knew that at the moment, if her vitals didn't stabilize, she could either pass out again, go into seizures, or worse. "Mr. Hinkley, you can stay… she wants you to stay," he said gently to not upset Aidan further, then looked at his patient. "Aidan, he's staying OK, but you need to calm down or you're going to make yourself sick."

Aidan calmed down slightly then shifted her head to see Ralph, who was now sitting in the chair again. The tears in her eyes made him cry inside too. She was hurting and he would do anything to take the pain away if he could.

Right now though, he could only do that staying nearby and holding her hand. "I'm here sweetheart. I'm not going to leave you," he said. Seeing her calm down more, he then looked at the doctor. "Doctor Ulvalde, is there someone who can go to the waiting room and tell my wife that Aidan's conscious?"

"Yes, I'll page one of my staff and have them notify her," he said as he picked up the phone.

Ralph then looked at his goddaughter and smiled, stroking her hair. "Pam and I won't leave you," he said gently. "You're back, that's all that matters."

Aidan took a breath, and stubbornly tried to talk again. "Hug," she said in a faint and crackly voice. While it was hard to hear, and nearly wore Aidan out from the effort, the word and meaning spoke volumes.

The doctor and Ralph blinked in surprise. "Well, already proving me wrong Aidan," said Ulvalde, chuckling. "But, that's good... we need this type of ornery patients. Ones who want to get well quickly."

Ralph chuckled. "It's the old Hinkley stubbornness," he said and turned to Aidan. "I can't quite hug you right now sweetheart - too many wires on you that'll set off alarms. Then the doctors will be mad at both of us. Will a kiss be all right for now?"

The young woman nodded softly, and Ralph kissed her on the forehead. After he pulled away, still holding her hand in his, Aidan looked back at Ralph's face. The creases in his face seemed a little deeper and his face a bit haggard, but she knew that it probably was from the stress of her being in a car wreck just like her parents. His hair was still curly, graying and in shambles from not being combed, and his eyes were red, probably from crying and lack of sleep. But, to Aidan that didn't matter. To her, Ralph looked like he was the most handsome man on Earth. Her godfather was alive… and even though this meant her parents were gone, she knew that this was right, this was the way it was supposed to be.

After a few minutes of exams and checking Aidan, Ulvalde spoke briefly to Ralph and then left to talk with other doctors on the issue. Ralph turned to Aidan and smiled softly. "Ade, why don't you rest some more? Pam will be in the room shortly when the doctors give the OK to have two of us in here."

"Stay…" she said softly, slightly confused and worried he was going to try and leave again.

Seeing that she was trying to fight going back to sleep, he chuckled, gently tousling her hair. "Don't worry, I'm staying. Now why don't you go rest," he said gently. Aidan wanted to stay awake to make sure that he was still there, but realized that she was still tired. She decided to close her eyes, realizing that if she rested, then she'd get better faster…


	18. Chapter 18

The voices woke Aidan up.

Even though she was still in that place between sleep and waking, she could identify one of them as her godfather's, the other was a lot harder to put a name to. She let herself float for a while, moving closer to the edge but not quite reaching it.

She heard the other voice talking to a nurse then she heard the nurse excuse herself and leave.

Knowing the nurse was there bothered her but she couldn't understand why. There had been a lot of them that came in and out of her room.

Her room, she thought, she shifted testing the bed, and felt it was the same, right down to how uncomfortable it was. And even the smell was familiar. All of it told her that she was in the hospital, and for a split second the memories of that other hospital came rushing back.

Aidan yelled, bolting out of the bed only to fall on the floor as her leg gave out. She tried to grab on to the IV stand as she fell, but ended up knocking it over on top of her as well.

She laid there feeling the pain in her side and knee where she had whacked it tumbling out of the bed. Aidan gave a yelp and closed her eyes as tears formed from the pain.

Then she heard footsteps approach and Ralph's panicked voice. "Aidan? What's the matter?"

He knelt down next her signaling the other person to get a doctor. She could feel him close even though her eyes where still closed. She then opened them and focused on his, and then she knew she wasn't in that other place anymore but was home, where she belonged.

Aidan could see that he had been clearly startled by her sudden cry and fall from the bed.

"Ralph?" She tentatively asked, putting her hand on his face as a small part of her still wondered if this was a dream too. She let out a sigh when he smiled down and brushed away a tear from her face.

Ralph smiled faintly and put a hand over hers, though he was still worried. "I'm here Aidan, are you OK?" he told her, his voice breaking some as he lifted the IV stand enough so the fluids didn't back up on the woman. "What happened?"

Aidan shook her head slightly, not really wanting to talk about it. "I had a nightmare" she said quietly as a doctor came in followed by a nurse.

Ralph stood and backed up but never broke eye contact with Aidan as the doctor checked her. Finding she didn't further injure herself, the doctor and nurse got her back into the bed, making sure that the guardrails were securely up so she didn't fall out it again. As he talked to his goddaughter and watched her go back to sleep, Ralph frowned. Something was bugging the young woman, especially since this was the second time she had a nightmare in the hospital.

Pam had mentioned what Aidan said when she witnessed the first nightmare, which Aidan had while her godfather was getting something to eat.

Ralph at first thought it was just the effects of the medicine she was taking, but watching the last part of it now - not heavily medicated and three days after waking up from her coma, he saw the connection.

Both times she also mentioned him - no cried out for him, and cursing out someone in her dream just before she woke up - and it concerned Ralph. For the moment, he decided to let her sleep, but kept guard to wake her up in case she started having the nightmares again.


	19. Chapter 19

Aidan had been asleep for a while when she again heard the voice from earlier, but this time she recognized it as Tony. She opened her eyes some and saw both Ralph and her partner standing in the doorway talking to a doctor.

"Tony?" Even though she said it very softly Tony still heard and both men turned toward her bed.

As Ralph finished talking with the doctor about how Aidan was healing, Tony crossed the room to stand next to the bed. He then reached for her hand, patting it. "Hey Cub… looking good," he said as he sat down.

Aidan scoffed. "Yeah… for someone who has been through the wringer," she said in a barely audible voice. Her mind drifted back to the alternate reality and what Tony had become. Here was a man who was obviously very concerned about how she felt, but in that other time was so mad at Bill Maxwell, that he took a shot at the agent… but hit Ralph instead. Only this time, unlike when Ralph had been shot so many years ago in a shootout with neo-Nazis, he did not survive…

"You with me Cub," Tony asked breaking her out of her thoughts.

Aidan nodded slightly, blocking out the memory "Yeah, like I said, I've been through the wringer," she said quietly, but louder than the first time. "Bet I look like I have too."

"Ade, trust me… you look wonderful," he said, shuddering slightly at the memory of finding her at the wreck. He had seen her injured before - even severely beaten - but the day of the wreck, he was truly terrified.

It had been eerily quiet when he reached the mangled car and when he found her, she looked, and when he went to feel for Aidan's pulse, felt like she was dead. Though the young woman was hypothermic, Tony decided that he would never tell Ralph how scared he was to have thought he could've been the reason Aidan died.

"OK, I look wonderful… you look terrible in that," she said, making a face at Tony's attire. She then grabbed the pendant one of her students made for her - a carved gemstone turtle with a diachronic glass shell, and began playing with it. "So, what did the doctor say as far as inside? Am I in the pink of health or am I leftover SPAM?"

"Well, ya ain't leftover SPAM, but if it says anything, anything compared to what happened, you're in the pink of health," Tony said, trying to smile but failing. Something was bothering Aidan, and he knew it. She was doing her usual unconscious habit of toying with a necklace if she was worried. He then glanced at Ralph, who shook his head, also wondering why she was acting this way.

Ralph then walked over to Aidan's bedside, sitting down in a second chair next to Tony. "You all right Aidan?" he asked.

"Yeah, pink of health," Aidan, joked to herself, then became serious. "How bad was the wreck?"

"Pretty bad, since you're in the hospital," said Tony chuckling. Seeing Aidan's glare, he sobered up and continued. "Yeah… it was bad Cub. When I found ya, the car was in really bad shape, well… let's just say you're lucky to be alive."

"That bad huh?" she said, and seeing Tony flinch, she decided she had to ask. "Tony, what shape was I in then?"

The agent shook his head adamantly. "Aidan, I ain't gonna say how ya looked - ever. When people around here say it was a miracle ya survived and with as few injuries as ya got, they ain't shoveling horse…"

"Tony," warned Ralph, but had to chuckle inside seeing Aidan grin at his reprimand of the agent.

"Uh, sorry… well lying to ya. They mean it. Will say this, when they got'cha here, they fixed ya up, put some more blood into ya and then it was the waiting game."

Aidan nodded softly, realizing she must've looked even worse than when he found her in a dumpster a few months ago after being beaten up. At least, she looked that way from their point of view. She shuddered to think how she looked when the green guys brought her to their ship to heal. Aidan knew they were also part of her "miraculous" survival - even though she wasn't totally healed. She assumed, however, the green guys gave her back some of her injuries so there were no questions as to why she was unscathed.

Not wanting to think about how she might've looked when Tony found her, Ralph then continued. "I know Tony's seen you injured and the like, but he doesn't know everything that we were going through afterward while you were in the coma. When I first saw you lying in that hospital bed, I started thinking about the night your parents died."

"Because they died in a wreck, and I wound up in the hospital after I hit my head," said Aidan timidly.

"Yes, and in that case, they died instantly and felt no pain. Here, every moment watching you lie here was painful. When it was more than six hours, Pam and I started to get even more worried. Seeing you lying here, unresponsive to our voices or touch, wondering if you were in pain, wondering if you'd ever wake up, wondering if each breath you took was..."

Ralph let the thought trail off, then took a breath, running his hand through his hair. "That was hard sweetheart. You have no idea how I felt when I felt you squeeze my hand like that."

Aidan sat there and thought about what Ralph said. Her mind wandered off to when she saw the alternate Ralph and what happened to him…

"Yeah… I do, the best feeling in the world," said Aidan as she put a hand on his chest, placing her hand over Ralph's heart.

Surprised, the man grabbed her hand, looking at her then Tony. It was definitely unlike Aidan to do something of that nature in particular… unless she was worried about him. "Sweetheart, what is it?" he said, holding her hand in both of his. "There's something really bothering you…"

"Nothing's wrong," she said and started to pull her hand away but her godfather held tight.

"Uh un, I don't believe it Aidan, something is." Ralph let her hand go and Aidan drew it back to her necklace as he continued. " I haven't said anything about it because I didn't know if the painkillers they were giving you were affecting your mind."

Seeing Aidan fidget, he knew he was right and continued. "But, early today, before you fell out of the bed, you were having a nightmare. I couldn't make out a lot of it, but you called out for me and were … well, telling someone to let you go find me," he said, deciding to not mention that she had at one point started cursing. She had been using words he never thought she knew - and rather loudly - at the time she fell. "Pam said that you did the same thing yesterday. If something's bothering you, you need to tell us."

Aidan adjusted the bed so she could be closer to eye level with the two men, and then rearranged her sheets so she'd be comfortable. "All right, but if I do, you've got to promise me something - both of you."

Ralph and Tony looked at each other then her. "OK, but what is it?" asked Tony, knowing that if she was asking for a promise, it was serious.

"That you'll let me take my time if I need it. This will be hard enough for you to believe, and won't be easy for me to talk about. I've been dreading it as it is," she said.

The two men nodded, but were concerned that this might be too tough on her - but so was not saying anything. "All right sweetheart, we promise. And, if we can tell it's getting too stressful for you, we'll tell you to stop. It doesn't have to be all at once," said Ralph. "But, what's bothering you? You've been awfully overprotective of me, and you seemed a bit vapid when Tony talked to you."

"Yeah," Aidan grinned slightly, and cleared her throat. "OK, the reason I've been so touchy-feely is because I'm making sure you're here - really here."

Her godfather shook his head, confused. "Really here? Ade, of course I'm here. I've been here in the hospital with you since you arrived," said Ralph when then chuckled. "In fact, I've been here for so long during this that I'm on a first name basis with the doctors."

"No, Ralph... I know you're here, but... that nightmare I said I had earlier was a rehash of a few days ago," she said, pausing as her emotions rose. She decided the best way to say this was to say it as fast as she could before she started to cry. "I thought I was in that insane asylum in that alternate reality about to be sedated again because I wouldn't believe you were dead."

Ralph did a double take at Aidan's response. "Alternate reality... wait DEAD?" he said loudly, surprised. Seeing Aidan huddle up slightly as though to sink into the bed, he stopped and calmed down. "I'm sorry Aidan, but it's a bit of a shock for me here. What do you mean insane asylum and alternate reality? You've been here for five days now, two - almost three of those in a coma."

"That's what you've seen, but I know what happened to me," said Aidan, giving a slight glance upward.

Noticing the reaction, Ralph paused. He remembered the doctor mentioning that Aidan's holding his hand as tightly as she did so soon after waking up from a coma was unusual and that she was worried of him leaving to the point that she could've had a relapse or worse. Ulvalde mentioned his feelings too - medical and personal, and now seeing her looking up, Ralph had to wonder too if the green guys were a part of that dream.

He took a breath, realizing this would explain a lot about her reactions, and held her hand. "OK, I trust you Ade, but I think you'd better start from the beginning though," Ralph said.

Aidan nodded and continued. She told them what she encountered from the moment of her wreck to the ship to waking up in the hospital from her coma. Though she told them almost everything, she left out the part about seeing the alternate Ralph in the ship.

As she talked, Ralph and Tony listened quietly. Every so often, Aidan would have to take a short pause to regain her composure, but both waited patiently and if necessary, gave a reassuring comment or hug to let her know that they were there.


	20. Chapter 20

After telling her story about the alternate reality, there was a longer pause in the chat when a nurse came in to check the Aidan's vitals.

As the nurse made sure Aidan was all right and if she needed anything, Ralph leaned back in his chair, stunned at what she had said. He now knew what Aidan was so leery of Tony at first - he had been Ralph's murderer in the alternate time.

Ralph glanced at his goddaughter and frowned in that thought. There had been several times he had been near death because of the suit, but none of those was by someone who he respected and cared about. Since high school, Ralph knew Tony's father didn't care about the man, and took him under his wing. Ralph considered Tony a son, and to know that in this alternate time Tony shot him in the heart...

"Ralph, you OK?" said Aidan shortly after the nurse left, concerned. "I can move over a little if you want to lie down."

Her godfather shook out of his reprieve and chuckled, shaking his head. "No, I'm all right sweetheart, just thinking about what you said," he said adamantly. "At least now I understand you putting your hand on my heart. I can't imagine what it felt like for you to hear that I was killed in that timeline."

"No... but let's just say that it was like when you told me about Mom and Dad's deaths, but double - a double whammy," she said quietly, remembering her visit to Bill in the alternate time. "I think it's what led to my seizure in the alternate reality."

"Seizure?" inquired Tony.

"Yeah... apparently I was an epileptic in that universe. I thought the alert tag read the same as the one I wear here - allergic to olives and penicillin."

Ralph reached for her hand, grabbing it. He couldn't believe that she dealt with even more than what happened to him and Tony. "You were an epileptic in that time huh? When did that start being part of your life then?"

"According to what those doctors said, apparently I had seizures when I was younger in that reality - I don't know what caused them - but they eventually went away. The night you supposedly were killed, I fainted and hit my head on the buffet in the dining room. That accident brought them back with a vengeance, and mostly the worst ones - grand mals."

Her godfather shook his head, slightly confused. "But you didn't hit your head on the buffet... it was the desk in this reality. And, the doctors were concerned that you would have epilepsy from the injury, but that didn't happen," he said gently. "They said part of it was that we did what the paramedics told us to do. And, more I think about it, the buffet is lower, so you would have hit it with more force than the desk, and would've had a more severe head injury."

"Even with that hard head of hers?" asked Tony. Seeing Ralph and Aidan glare at the man, he shrugged. "Well... Cub ya do have a head injury here and are doing well considering that wreck."

Remembering how long the doctor said she'd probably still have a headache from the concussion, Aidan reluctantly nodded. "True, and to think that if Ralph and Pam didn't offer to let me come over to stay with them, my parents and I all could've died that night in the wreck given Mom and Dad did at times let me come along to celebrate their anniversary," she said, shuddering at the memory of the alternate time. "I'd still rather not have had that accident to begin with, but given the two choices - at least it was the desk. And, the differences as to why are really wild - Mom and Dad dying in the car wreck, Ralph being murdered..."

Tony felt a cold chill down his spine at the memory of what Aidan told him about his alternate self. "Yeah, ta think that I was the cause of Mr. H's death there..." he said, and shuddered. "I mean, I will admit there were times I wanted to punch your godfather's lights out..."

"And did too," interrupted Ralph. Seeing Tony open his mouth to protest, he put his hand up. "You did do that at least twice when you were attending Whitney."

The agent, realizing Ralph was right, chuckled. "OK, anyway, even when I did, I never wanted to shoot him. He did a lot for me, 'cause if I kept going the way I was, I could've been in jail or dead now."

Aidan smiled sadly at the irony. "True. I mean hearing what Bill said about what happened to make you a criminal, I couldn't believe it."

"What happened?" inquired Tony.

"Well, he said that you had been washed out of the FBI for stealing evidence, I think drugs, and that Ralph had verified it by a holograph," she said. "He didn't explain further, but I guess you kept protesting, but there was too much evidence to the contrary. Then, after you were fired, you basically tripped out and turned into a bas... uh, monster. Then, well... the rest you know."

"Cub, that has to be the weirdest story I've ever heard," Tony scoffed. "I'd known about those holographs if he got one off me."

"Not necessarily Tony," she said. "I've gotten them off people all the time and they haven't said they're hallucinating."

Ralph frowned, thinking about what she said. He then turned to Tony. "You know, there is some truth to Aidan's story."

"Whatdaya mean Mr. H? Ade here was living it in that alternate reality. How could it..."

"Tony, I do remember a time when you first started in the FBI when you could've been washed out," he said. "It was back in the '90s, Only, when I got the holograph, instead of finding it was you who was in the evidence locker stealing drugs, it was someone else..."

Tony's eyes lit up, remembering what happened. "Franklyn Thomlinson back in 1994. Yeah, thought he had it up real nice and neat tryin' ta frame me for his theft 'cause I was the last one who signed out on that paper, but I knew it wasn't me."

"How?" said Aidan, slightly confused.

"Because... the time that was signed - well altered - wasn't possible," he said. "I was helping someone."

"You were? Who?"

He smiled, shaking his head slightly at the fact Aidan's memory was a little fuzzy at the moment. "_You_ Cub."

Aidan looked at Ralph and Tony, confused. "OK, you were helping me... at the agency ... in 1994?" she said, trying to check Tony for a fever only to get her hand playfully swatted away. "You sure I'm the one who should be in bed?"

Ralph thought for a minute to remember all of the story, then smiled. "No, he's right. Remember, fall 1994, you were a sophomore at Whitney and I arranged for your civics class to tour the agency..."

She looked at Ralph for a few moments, and then smiled. "Yeah, now I remember. You came as well, but went off to talk to Bill, my guess at the time was to say hello, but must've been a suit scenario," she said, and he nodded.

Tony grinned, remembering himself. "Well, I'd rather not remember part of that day, but that morning had been rough. We had made a huge meth-cocaine bust on the interstate and we went and put the drugs in the evidence locker for crimes. I had just signed out saying everything was there when I had to go and take a group of students on tour..."

"My tour. I remember Tony was taking us around the agency and telling us about what went on," she said, then furrowed her brow slightly in thought. "It seemed to go on forever though, and the office was real stuffy and hot..."

"Oh yeah, the lousy bums had the heater on almost full blast in 80-degree weather it seemed," laughed Tony. "And they still don't get it right."

"And, I remember Tony talking about something when... when I fainted," she said, smiling sheepishly at the memory.

Tony nodded. "Yeah, hadn't seen anyone go out without a warning before then, so it totally took me off guard when ya started to fall. Managed ta catch ya though and lay you on the ground. Got someone to get Mr. H and started ta try and wake ya."

Ralph thought for a moment, and continued where Tony left off. "Then, Bill and I headed toward the room you were in, but we saw Thomlinson head out the room just as we came in. Bill asked the man where the fire was, and Thomlinson said he was getting you water. Bill thought about it for a moment, but dismissed it and went in.

"Then, we came in and I knelt next to you just as you came around," he said, then cleared his throat, remembering the next part. "Bill hadn't seen Thomlinson come back in with the water, and grew suspicious. Knowing the other agent was at odds with Tony, and that they were together during the bust, Bill had me put a hand on Tony's shoulder to get a holograph. Sure enough, I got one of Thomlinson was stealing some of the meth from the lockers."

Tony continued. "That musta been when Maxwell told me ta come with him to the locker, and we caught Thomlinson. He had me go out first to challenge the bum, who then said that it wouldn't matter... I'd be busted for stealing drugs from the locker. He said as I was the last one out of the evidence locker, I'd be the one found guilty. When I said I could prove I didn't use them, he told about a friend at the drug testing company who would skew the results. That's when Maxwell came in and busted him."

"Wow, and all that while I was recovering from passing out," Aidan said, entertained slightly by the story, knowing this time things turned out better.

Ralph looked at Aidan, and things started to click together. "Aidan, do you see what the linking factor has been in this?" he said. Seeing her shake her head in negation, he continued. "You... it was you. If you hadn't fainted, Bill and I wouldn't have gone to the room Tony, you and the students were in and we wouldn't have seen Thomlinson leave the room suspiciously."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, and then Maxwell woulda blamed me for the crime as I was the last one who signed out."

"And even if I got a holograph, it might've just been Tony in the locker room with the drugs, and it would've implicated him... like you said," Ralph finished, smiling. "Aidan, you're supposed to be here, wearing the suit. If your parents hadn't died then you would never have been brought here. Based on what you've said could've been, all those people I helped save or Tony helped wouldn't have been helped. Then all the good you have done.…"

She smiled softly, wistful of what could've been too. "Yeah, but at what cost Ralph?" she said quietly as she hugged the small stuffed rabbit Ralph and Pam had brought from their house. It had been a gift from them when she had her tonsils out at 12, and she always had to have it when she was in the hospital.

Ralph frowned, realizing what she meant by the comment. "Yes, it cost you your parents... and my sister," he said, moving to sit on the bed next to her. Aidan shifted over as much as she could without falling off it again to accommodate him, and he sat down, putting an arm around her shoulder.

Seeing a few tears fall down her face, Ralph gave her a gentle hug, careful of her ribs. "Ade... it's always going to be tough. It was tough for me when Dad died so many years ago. There's always a negative with a positive, and while I wish your parents were alive... I can see too that if they were, there'd be these negatives as well."

"Tell me about it…" she said, smiling wryly. "But at least I have another chance to do what I've been chosen to do - even with the occasional bumps and bruises."

The three chuckled and heard a knock at the door. Wondering who it could be, as the nurse had left and Aidan could only two guests, Ralph went to open the door.

He had just enough time to dodge out of the way when Bill came charging through the doorway. "Hi Ralph." Bill said glanced over his shoulder to his friend as he continued forward to Aidan's bed. "How's the most beautiful girl in the world feeling today?"

Aidan blinked, given she knew she had to look like a mess, but then realized he was kidding. "Hi Bill…" she said.

Ralph however shook his head. "Bill... you can't be in here. Aidan can only have two visitors at a time."

"Well, I think Villacana was just leaving, right?" Bill asked raising his eyebrows at the younger Agent to give him the hint that it was time for him to leave.

Tony, realizing that Bill does have a point, decided to show a bit of bravado himself. "Yeah, sure Maxwell. Get well soon huh Cub?" he said, then stooped over to Aidan. Remembering her chat earlier, he paused. "Uh, can I?…"

Realizing what he was thinking, she smiled. "Yeah... you can give me a hug, so long as Rhonda won't get mad."

"Nah, it's from me, her and the kids," he said, giving her a gentle hug. " Get well soon, and don't let the old agent here drive you up a wall."

"I'll show you old rookie," muttered Bill, only to see Tony smirk at him. Looking at Aidan laugh a little from the banter, he decided it was worth getting kidded by Tony - just this once. He had tried to get in and visit Aidan while she had been in the coma, partially so Ralph and Pam could get some rest, but the nurses wouldn't listen. This was mostly because he kept referring to her by his nickname for her, not proper name. Not that this mattered, as even Bill knew in his heart even if he was allowed in, it'd taken everything in the world to get Ralph and Pam to listen to him, especially if their goddaughter was hurt.

Aidan's chuckling snapped him out of his thoughts. "Don't worry, Tony, I won't. Besides, I don't want to spend more time here because I'm a monkey and decide to climb the IV stand."

Tony laughed and, after saying that he'd come back later to visit, left the room.

Bill looked at Aidan and smiled. He was relieved to at last actually see what Ralph had said over the phone: Aidan was awake and smiling, even though he could tell in her eyes she was still a little in pain from her injuries. But, remembering the photo in the paper, he knew it could have been a lot worse…

He took a breath, deciding to brush away what could've happened. "So, Artie, how's it going…" he said, only to see Aidan pale slightly. "OK…"

Ralph noticed the reaction as well, and was concerned. "Aidan, are you all right?" he asked

"Yeah…" she said, looking at the agent. "What did you call me Bill?"

"Artie, though I had ta explain to the nurses that I call ya that …" he said, only to pause again when he saw Aidan freeze. Unbeknownst to him, she was thinking about what happened in the alternate reality, and was hoping history didn't repeat itself in the opposite way.

Bill, however, took a closer look, having seen an expression like that before. The reaction after it, however, was bad the last time. "Honey, you all right," he said, then giving Ralph a look of concern.

Ralph narrowed his eyes in concern and walked over toward the head of the bed. Leaning over, he noticed Aidan still just stare and gawk at Bill. He waved his hand in front of Aidan's eyes, and frowned when she didn't react to the motion.

Remembering what Aidan said about the alternate reality, he grew terrified something was wrong. He was afraid that Aidan was having a post traumatic stress reaction. "Aidan... you're worrying me, say something," he ordered.

"Yeah Artie, say something," he said, not missing the worry in his friend's voice. "Kid, she still having problems from that…"

Aidan, realizing that the two men were talking about her, blinked, snapping out of the memory, and smiled. "No, sorry, I'm fine. Bill... what did you call me?"

Bill, though relieved that Aidan was all right, was slightly annoyed by her repeating the question again. He knew, however, that might be from the concussion she had. "Artie…" he said gently.

Aidan's smiled thinly, wanting to tease the man slightly. "Artie... Bill, I want you to never.…"

"I know, but it's habit…"

"Never… call me _Aidan_ again," she said bluntly, interrupting the man.

"Huh?" said Bill, giving a slight double take at the woman's change of heart.

"Bill, I want you to call me Artie…" she said, smiling only to find Bill put a hand on her forehead and grab her right wrist to check her pulse. "What are you…"

The older agent looked at Ralph instead. "Uh, Kid... I don't think she has a fever, but she sure seems a little loopy here," he said, earning a slight glare from Aidan.

Shaking his head in disbelief again, Bill continued. "Are you saying to me that you want me ta call ya 'Artie' all the time? You must have gone crackers from that bump on the head. Ya've always said ta quit calling ya that."

"I'm no more 'quackers' than I normally am," she said, sighing slightly in annoyance. Seeing Bill slightly miffed at her reaction, she coughed and smiled. "Bill I'm serious... it's a long story, but trust me, I don't want you to call me Aidan again… well, except one case."

"OK, when?"

"If I am in the hospital, only so you can get into the room as my Great-Uncle Bill," she said.

Bill was a bit skeptical, but realized Aidan was being serious. "OK, sure honey, whatever you say," he said grinning slightly, and gave Ralph a look.

"Don't look at me, it's her choice. At least now you won't hear her correct you all the time," said the younger man, putting his hands up.

"Yeah… so, Artie, how are you feeling?" Bill asked.

"Much better," she said, chuckling at the realization that the agent called her Artie and not Aidan from the start. "Yep, much better."

Ralph, however, knew something was still going on with the young woman. He had a feeling part of the reason she requested Bill call her Artie all the time was to get away from that alternate reality.

As she chatted with the two men again about what happened in the alternate time, Ralph started thinking more about Aidan's story. Looking at the woman, he realized anytime she mentioned the ship - especially the second time - she would start toying with her necklace.

Seeing her nervous reaction of wanting to forget part of that visit, Ralph's mind drifted off to another time, this one involving a visit to Las Vegas, and dealing with a man who used the suit for evil…

His thoughts were interrupted when Bill spoke up. "Glad that was there and not here Artie… I mean Ralph here dead…" Bill shuddered at the thought. He had a feeling in that reality Ralph was really not dead and the thought of the green guys and their ship made him shudder more as he stood up to leave. "Anyway, uh… I'd love ta stay and chat all night with ya, but I know ya need your rest and I'm sure Ralph here would rather have the missus come in and visit. 'Sides I don't want the nurse ta come in and try ta give me a sponge bath."

Aidan laughed at the joke, only to wince slightly when her ribs protested the movement. "Sure, and thanks for coming," she said, smiling as Bill hesitated on how to say goodbye. "Bill… you can give me a hug or a kiss if you want to. You don't have to just shake my hand - I'm not that fragile."

The man chuckled, and gave Aidan a hug, not afraid to show some affection for the young woman who he did in his heart consider his niece as well. He then shook hands with Ralph and the two walked toward the door.

As Ralph said a brief goodbye to Bill, he again looked at Aidan, who was now hugging the toy rabbit deep in thought Even though she was 28, from the look in her eyes, he could tell that she had left something out that had deeply scared her. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how much everything affected her - particularly the point she wasn't mentioning.

After Bill left the room, Ralph turned back to Aidan and sat down in a chair. "Aidan…is there something still bothering you?" he asked gently. "Was there more to the story than what you told Tony, Bill and me?"

The young woman shifted, wincing slightly in pain from her ribs, and fidgeted, not really wanting to say everything about seeing Ralph in the ship. While the alternate version comforted her as she was brought back to this timeline, the thought of knowing that version of Ralph was dead - but at the same time alive - frankly scared her.

From his perspective, Ralph could see that his hunch was right, that Aidan had seen the alternate version of him reanimated on the ship. It pained him that she found out about that part of the green guys' lifestyle that way, but he knew that was partially his fault.

He sighed softly and ran a hand over his face. "When Bill told you I was dead, I really wasn't was I?" he said. Seeing her look at him in confusion and surprise, he clarified. "I mean to everyone I was except maybe Pam and Bill, who knew what really happened - that the green guys came and took me with them."

Aidan nodded, realizing while she hadn't told him the part, he must have had an idea of what happened. She also thought back to what that Ralph had said to her about his youthful appearance being "a gift from the green guys" and him wearing the white suit with blue emblem.

She cleared her throat slightly. "I think I understand why, but not totally…" Ralph put a gentle hand over her mouth, then removed it. "It's OK Aidan. I understand it was scary and I'll be glad to tell you more whenever you're ready - but right now you're not with all you went through, OK?"

Aidan nodded, and Ralph smiled softly, standing up. "Now, why don't you get some sleep and Pam and I will be back later?"

"OK," she said and Ralph gave her a kiss on the forehead. He then turned, walking to the door, and was almost to the door when she spoke up again. "Ralph?"

"Yes sweetheart?" he said, turning back around.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything. For always being there and you and Pam stepping in when my parents died… You didn't have to…"

Ralph, realizing there were many levels to this thank you, past and present, had to fight the tears that were trying to fall. "Yes we did Aidan," he said, crossing back over to Aidan. "You were our niece and I in particular already knew all the difficulties you had with your father's family. Only Misha loved you for who you were and are now, the others were cruel. I saw the effect they had on you at times, and I couldn't leave you there. Even if your parents hadn't put Pam and me as your guardians in their will, I'd fought tooth and nail to have you live with us. I did when Kevin was little, and while I didn't win, just like then I would've kept fighting for you."

Aidan paused, remembering the cold eyes she saw of the Aidan that had ended up living with her father's family after her parents' deaths. She shuddered looking down at her hands. "I know," she said softly.

Ralph put his hand over hers, grinning as she looked back up at him. "Aidan, you may be my niece and goddaughter, but you are always going to be my little girl, and I am proud of you. Now, like I said, why don't you get some sleep and Pam and I'll be back in a little while."

"OK Ralph," the young woman said smiling, and after giving her a hug and another kiss, Ralph left the room. Aidan leaned back in the bed, turning on the TV to see what was on. She found a classic TV show and smiled. It was a favorite show of hers, Ralph's and Pam's. Watching it, Aidan relaxed some, realizing that for the first time in days she finally felt the weight of the world lift off her shoulders. She knew that once she was out of the hospital, there would be challenges - physically and suit wise, but this time, Aidan knew that she could say no. Afterall, she had to take care of her family, friends, others… and herself.


	21. Chapter 21

Aidan leaned forward in her chair trying her best to put on a pair of slippers so she could take a walk around the hospital. She already succeeded putting her right shoe on and was working at putting the other on - which just happened to be the same leg that was injured - when the shoe slipped from her hands and skidded across the floor.

"Damn… stupid slipper," Aidan huffed as she saw the wayward shoe slide under the bed. She also rubbed her ribs, which were also a bit sore from the attempt. Leaning back in her chair, she realized even with the brace and a rehab cane, her simple walk round the hospital would not be so simple especially with her injured knee.

Straightening out her knee slightly, making a face, she remembered what the doctor said what happened to it. While it had appeared to be dislocated when she arrived at the hospital, Tony had been right and there had been a torn ligament in there - the anterior cruciate ligament. At first they considered doing surgery on it while she was in a coma, but didn't want to risk putting her health and safety in further danger at the time.

Later on, when the group was told that she'd have to have surgery on it, Aidan grew terrified at what it would entail. The thought of being in a state of total nothingness like she was when she was put in stasis made her nearly refuse to have the surgery. Aidan did not want to be defenseless and have no say in what happened to her care.

Not only that, she also was terrified that when she woke up from the surgery, she would be in that reality - where her parents were alive instead and the doctors felt she was crazy.

Ralph at first was confused as to why Aidan would risk permanent and debilitating injury to herself ... until he noticed she would squirm slightly and fidget with her pendant when they mentioned she'd be put under general anesthesia.

Realizing that Aidan was fearing she'd regain consciousness and find this wasn't real, he was dead and she was again in the sanatorium, spent time with the woman and the doctor, discussing a way to get Aidan to agree to have the surgery.

Dr. Ulvalde, remembering what happened when she woke up from the coma, agreed to have Ralph stay near Aidan when the anesthetist put her under in the side theater next to the OR.

After a little more discussion, Ralph and Pam also came up with an idea to have Aidan wear a bracelet made out of their and Misha's silverware patterns the couple gave her as a get-well gift, which she would later find on her wrist when she woke up in recovery - ensuring that they were all OK - and she was in the right time.

The doctor agreed to it, with the stipulation that Ralph hold on to it when Aidan was in surgery so it wouldn't get lost or broken, which the young woman agreed to. On the day of the operation, however, it was difficult for Ralph to see his goddaughter be put under and have to leave the room afterward. But, when he saw Aidan show very little fear and nervousness during that process, was glad that he was able to help her get over another fear from the reality.

So, while her knee had been repaired a few days after waking up from the coma, Aidan was thankful that it wasn't hurt nearly as bad as it could've been. "It could've been a hell of a lot worse," she said softly, remembering what the green guy said to her in the ship and that alternate time.

Deciding it was better to let the slipper stay where it was under the bed rather than trying to retrieve the slippery item, Aidan leaned back and relaxed, closing her eyes. Other than the delayed walk, the day was turning out good. Her doctor had visited earlier, announcing that she would be going home the next day. This to her, after nearly a month in the hospital, was like telling her she won the lottery.

Aidan smiled softly, thinking about what was ahead. She knew it was going to include continued visits to the therapist to strengthen her knee, working on the rest of this and next semester's schedule, accommodating it to fit some of the doctor's restrictions, but most of all, it was going to be a long process healing from what happened - from everything.

The door opened, snapping Aidan out of her thoughts. She turned her head to see Ralph and Pam walk in. Both chuckled when they found that Aidan had only one slipper on.

"Hi Ade," Ralph greeted then pointed to her feet, "deciding to be two left feet again?" he said, smiling.

"No," she said dejectedly with a slight pout and pointed toward her bed. "Its partner in crime is hiding out under the bed again."

Ralph chuckled at the comment and went to retrieve the missing slipper under the bed "I thought you said you'd quit playing shoe hockey," he teased, waving the shoe near her face. He then kneeled in front of her, slipping the shoe on Aidan's foot

"I did... but the slipper didn't get the memo …"

"So what is the score Aidan?" joked Pam.

"The score is Shoe 3 - Aidan 0," she said chuckling as she gave the couple a hug and a kiss. "Hey guys, I was going to try and go for a little walk around the corridors. I wanted to try and catch most of the nurses who've helped out the past few weeks and say goodbye before they got off tonight."

"They have helped out a lot, though one said to us they'd miss your telling your stuffed rabbit bedtime stories," said Pam, chuckling at how Aidan had kept that old habit. Even now, Aidan still would make up stories when she was in the hospital to pass the time. Given the hospital wouldn't let do her beadwork for safety reasons, it also helped break up the inevitable boredom of watching TV, drawing and dealing with the doctor's or nurse's visits to check on her. This time, however, Aidan also had another toy to talk to as well - a stuffed toy Himalayan cat that Rodney gave her as a get well present.

"Ah… I was wondering why Nurse Jennings was talking about Fred the Elephant and Jake the Cat the other day, eavesdropper," said Aidan, grinning only to pause slightly when she saw the look on her godparents' faces. "Is something wrong?… Don't tell me the doc changed his mind and I'm stuck here for another two weeks?"

Ralph sat down on the edge of Aidan's bed, shaking his head. "No sweetheart, nothing's wrong. We're just soaking in seeing you happy and healthy… if slightly silly," he added with another grin. "You've got to understand, the past three and a half weeks have been hard for us too with you being in the hospital and rehab from this wreck."

Aidan groaned when Ralph mentioned rehab. "And I'll still be in rehab seeing Sam for the next few months," she said, making a pained face. "I know physical therapists are supposed to be tough on you, but sometimes… well, lets just say with the way he barks orders I swear he must have been a drill sergeant in a former life."

Pam chuckled and sat down next to Ralph. "I don't blame you in that one, but he also told you that you're one of the fastest healing patients he's dealt with," she said. Seeing Aidan chuckle, she continued. "But, Ralph and I are here for another reason too."

"OK… what?"

"Well, we were wondering, given that all of us are about to have a week for Thanksgiving break soon, if you'd like to go to Casper this year instead of spending it at home," said Pam.

Aidan looked at the couple, surprised, but confused. She had wanted to return for years - 18 to be exact. While Aidan had asked to return off and on over the years, before they could make arrangements to visit, she'd change her mind. She never knew why, but she guessed subconsciously there was something from the events that led up to her parents' deaths that kept her from wanting to go.

This time, however, it seemed that Ralph and Pam had been talking about it for a long time and were wanting to go there but wasn't sure why the idea. "Casper? I can't go there yet - not in this shape," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I bet I won't be able to safely fly in the suit for at least a little longer, and it'll be a pain to try and board a plane."

"Sweetheart," Ralph started, clearing his throat slightly. He could tell she was trying to talk herself out of going, but he knew after everything he was told this trip was what she needed - what they all needed, when they thought about it. "It won't be a pain, you'll get the royal treatment. You get to board first, and they'll have a wheelchair if you need it," said Ralph, only to get a playful bop on the head by his goddaughter.

"Ralph, you'll need one if you say that again," she said jokingly.

He then chuckled. "Well, OK no wheelchair. But, even if you don't, do you know how many handsome male flight attendants would be glad to offer you their arm to help you down the boarding ramp?"

Though Aidan knew Ralph was only kidding, knowing that she was dating Rodney, she chuckled. "OK, that could happen, but still… why Casper?" she said. "We could go just about anywhere."

The couple looked at each other then Pam turned to Aidan. "Well, we've heard you talk about wanting to go there for some time and just see the sights again," she said. "And, you could also visit the ranch and we could go anywhere else you want to…"

"… Not to mention visit Mom and Dad in the cemetery," interrupted Aidan, frowning at the implication.

"Yes… that too," said Ralph, and seeing Aidan shudder slightly, put a hand on her shoulder. "Ade, I know you went through a lot, but both Pam and I agree you need to go back there, but for many reasons."

"I do want to go, but I don't know given that alternate reality," she said quietly, thinking about her parents. "I can still remember everything from that time: How Mom and Dad looked in their 50s, how they smelled, felt. How can I face seeing the opposite side after that?"

Pam sighed softly, knowing it was hard for her goddaughter. While Aidan had told her a little about the alternate reality, Pam also had heard a little more from Ralph about what exactly happened to the young woman. The one thing Ralph didn't tell her truthfully, however, was that he was dead in that timeline. He opted to use a different explanation for his absence and that absence was what caused her seizure in that reality.

Aidan's godmother then cleared her throat. "It will be hard sweetheart, but we'll be there to give you a shoulder to cry on," said Pam. "But, it would help close the door to this as well, especially given where that timeline led you."

Ralph continued. "I agree Ade. You've told me a few times lately that you wanted to visit the gravesite so you could say a proper goodbye," he said, remembering that talk. "You didn't really get to the day of the memorial service."

Aidan nodded slightly. Ralph had told Aidan about her second, but fortunately for her health near fainting spell at the cemetery and how he had to carry Aidan back to the limo so she could lie down. He remembered that whenever he or Pam went to check on her she never looked up and he guessed she only sat there staring at her hands or anywhere but where the graveside ceremony was taking place, and by the end of the service, when Ralph and Pam returned to the car to return to the hotel, was asleep.

Ralph had always had a feeling that it did bother Aidan some subconsciously to not have been an active part of the graveside services, but not much given she had a spotty memory of the events back in 1989.

Now that she dealt with the alternate reality of him being dead and not being able to see him, he felt it was time for her to see the gravesite again and have some closure to what happened to her parents as well as that other life she experienced. Seeing Aidan look down, Ralph realized she had been thinking about that too.

The young woman cleared her throat. "Yeah... it would some. But like you said, that pain will never go away," she said.

"True, it never does," said Ralph, thinking about his sister.

Pam realizing that if they dwelled on this part too long Aidan might change her mind, decided to change the subject. "But, it would be more than just that Aidan. We thought of taking you to the places you like, that restaurant you always talk about with the huevos rancheros, and Fort Casper," she said. "If you heal fast enough, we might also drive over to Cheyenne or go walk around Devil's Tower. That way you can see everything you always love to talk about to your class and when you're remembering then."

The young woman smiled. "That would be fun, and I could have pics with both of you there as well to show my classes. It'd also be neat to go to the ranch again and see how it's doing. The company that runs it for me said they were doing well, and I'd love to see the old ranch house again," she said and looked at her godparents. She had to admit in her heart, they were right. After three weeks in the hospital staring at the white walls and friezes, it'd be nice to go visit a place full of color and beauty.

Pam and Ralph looked at each other and smiled when they saw Aidan's eyes light up - albeit slightly. They wanted their goddaughter to say yes, but also knew that she might say no.

Both also knew from the way she'd react to things at times when she was younger, that there were some memories of the ranch that weren't pleasant. There was one incident that stuck out in their minds - and it hurt worse when they remembered it was lost when she was injured so many years ago.

Shortly before her parents' deaths, there had been a huge fight over the ranch between the Onyxsards and Aidan's family over its ownership. The fight escalated to the point where Aidan was kidnapped to try and force M'Lynn and Austin to give the Onyxsards the ranch.

Unbeknownst to anyone save her godparents now, Aidan was taken to a deserted location to freeze to death regardless of her parents' decision. She was nearly unconscious from hypothermia when an "angel" - Aidan's words later - saved her. Ralph had been visiting to help the family with the dispute and had the suit.

While his goddaughter didn't suffer long-term effects physically, Ralph knew that Aidan had a tough time whenever her subconscious mind remembered it, but not her.

Seeing the young woman's eyes light up more at the prospect, this time they felt she really wanted to go. "So... I take it that it's a yes, huh sweetheart?" said Ralph, smiling.

Aidan looked at the couple and smiled. "Yes, and I mean yes. I want to go," she said. "It's time I went back there, and the change of scenery will be nice. The food will definitely be better - no more tomato soup and scrambled eggs for breakfast."

The comment got a laugh out of the couple before Pam spoke up.

"That's great Aidan, we knew you'd want to go," said Pam. Seeing Aidan quirk an eyebrow, curious at to how she "knew," she clarified. "Well... you have been in a monochrome world it seems for a while now."

"True, it'll be nice to see color everywhere," said Aidan, chuckling. "Of course at this point you probably could suggest just about any place and I would agree as long as it got me out of here…." The other two laughed again at her comments then Aidan continued. "But, I do have one question."

"What's that?" said Pam, hoping she wasn't going to ask about the possibility of changing her mind. They had already had the ticket reservations secured.

"Would it be all right if I brought the suit?" she said.

The couple looked at each other, frowning. "Aidan… part of this too is to let you take a break from suit scenarios," said Ralph gently. "You need the break, and even Tony's been ordered by Bill and Cyler to let you have one. Why do you want to bring it?"

The young woman ran a hand through her hair and closed her eyes. She had never told them this, but felt she needed to. "Well… you remember the plane crash Tony and I were in last year?" she asked, and the couple nodded. "Part of the reason we were in it was that I had been knocked out and couldn't fly the plane to safety when the pilot died. Now knowing the suit protects me from most drugs, I've put the suit on whenever I'm in a plane - flying it myself or in a commercial one."

Ralph and Pam chuckled, realizing she had a point, but still weren't sure. "Good point, but you'll also be recovering a little bit from the wreck too. The suit might not let you wear it," said Pam.

"I've thought about that, but we don't know. Besides, while I know I'll still be recovering, I don't want us to be out on a limb if something did happen. Better to be able to have some help than none."

The other two nodded. "OK, deal, and hopefully it won't be needed right?" said Ralph.

"Right," said Aidan as the two continued chatting about their plans. While Aidan knew the toughest part of the trip would be going to the cemetery, Aidan also knew that her godparents were right: It would bring closure to her experiences in the alternate reality, and she would be able to move on with her life. _My real life - Pam, Ralph, Bill, Tony... and the stu- no, silly suit,_she thought, smiling. _It's good to be home._


	22. Chapter 22

Aidan walked along the row of solemn grave stones that lined the grassy knoll, after a few steps she paused and looked out over the plains rolling out in front of her all sides. She smiled when she saw the Rocky Mountains nearby, capped with snow. The sun was setting turning the sky ablaze with colors. A wind stirred the tall grass turning them into green waves. beckoning for her wade in the grassy sea and to be swept away by its currents.

In the distance she imagined a train whistle blew. A lonely and tempting sound floating across the earth to her ears. "Come away, fly away," it told her with each blow of its whistle. So tempting it is she wanted to stretch her arms out and pray for wings to grow so she might fly over the green sea and far from this place. …

The sound grew quieter, fading with the day until it was no more. With a sigh, Aidan pulled her coat closer around her as she looked back down at the grave that lay before her. She leaned on her walking cane, and while thankful that she had almost healed from her injury and wouldn't need even that style of cane anymore, hated the fact that it and the cold kept her from kneeling at the moment to get an even better look. The tombstone was simple - as her parents wanted, and was carefully engraved with their names and interlocking wedding bands.

Aidan closed her eyes as tears fell with nothing but the green sea to listen and the wind to wipe them from her cheeks.

Then after a few moments Aidan opened her eyes looking at the names etched in stone. "I love you," she whispered as she touched the rough top of the marker before she fell silent again.

As Aidan stood there, she remembered sadly all the times, though short, they had together. The times her Dad took her to breakfast, just the two of them, and he treated her like a princess, or the times spent on the ranch and her mom teaching her how to ride a horse for the first time. All these memories came flooding back, and she smiled sadly, happy however that she could remember. They were memories that weren't taken away from her when she hit her head so many years ago.

They were something she knew she could always have and would hold close to heart, even if her parents were gone. Aidan placed the two roses in her hand at the base of the stone then gently touched the top of it again, running a hand along the names.

"I love you," she whispered again, bowing her head some before slowly standing and walking back along the rows and on the hill to the car that waited for her. She smiled when she saw Ralph standing next to the car holding the door for her.

Her godfather sadly returned the smile and decided to walk out to her, meeting her a short distance from the car. He then welcomed Aidan's hug once she had reached the man. After a few moments he felt Aidan move and lifted his head, looking at her. "You ready to go Aidan?" he asked gently, one arm still wrapped around her waist for support so she didn't have to rely on the cane as he guided her the rest of the way to the car.

Aidan nodded, accepting her godfather's help, and put her hands in her pockets to keep warm and to hide the slight trembling she felt. Feeling something that was like jewelry box, Aidan gave a confused look and stopped, wondering how it got in her coat.

She then pulled out the box, looking at it. She opened it up, and inside was a necklace - a strand of moonstone, blue goldstone, silver and aventurine beads, and had a center drop of a carved blue goldstone butterfly.

Ralph looked at the necklace. "That's nice Ade. Did you make it?" he asked, remembering the day when Aidan got to return to her studio at the gallery and work. Some of the projects she made that day were for the nurses who helped at the hospital, while others were a way of helping her heal from living the alternate reality.

She relished the day, spending so much time making many projects to the point that her godparents threatened to carry her out of the studio when it was time to lock up for the day.

"No," Aidan looked at her godfather, shaking her head then looked back at the item in her hand, puzzled on where it came from, the only thing that came to her was it was a gift. "I'm not exactly sure where it came from, but I think it was a gift from..." she started, then paused, when she remembered on other time and place she last saw the necklace and that was the alternate reality…

She then realized that it was the gift the other Ralph had given her - the one from the green guys - a reminder of the second chance she had been given. She then realized why she had the necklace and why a butterfly. It represented rebirth - a new start in life. The green guys wanted her to remember that every choice had in its own way a butterfly effect, but whether it was the life she now lead or an alternate one was up to her.

"It was a gift from who," Ralph asked bringing her out of her thoughts, holding her a little tighter just in case something was wrong. She looked towards the horizon before answering.

"It was from a very old family friend," she grinned, putting the necklace and the box back in her pocket.

"Does this 'friend' have a name," her godfather asked curious at what old friend would have given his goddaughter such a gift.

Aidan thought about how she should answer then looked up at her godfather "A Mr. Karl Greene," she smiled hoping he would understand the reference.

Ralph looked at her confused for a second, not remembering anybody by that name. Then he caught the glint of humor in her eyes and caught onto whom she was referring about. She was the only one who used a different courtesy.

"Yes, I would say he is a old family friend," he chuckled and Aidan laughed with him. It was good to hear her laugh again, he thought. It seemed a long time since he had seen or heard Aidan laugh or even smile and it be a genuine one. With a contented sigh, Ralph asked Aidan if she was ready to leave.

Aidan looked back at her parents' grave, and smiled sadly. Part of her wanted to stay longer, but the more she looked at it, she felt at ease, as though her parents were looking back at her and smiling. For once, she realized, she was at peace with her past. "Yes, I'm ready Ralph. Let's go," she said as she carefully got into the car. Ralph closed the door and got into the front, and the car drove away, ready to continue on with life.


End file.
